


Behind the Sunshine Prince

by xraspberries



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, AtsuHina, Drunken Kissing, Drunkenness, Enemies to Lovers, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Homophobia, Hurt Hinata Shouyou, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Love/Hate, M/M, Minor Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Minor Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Miya Atsumu is a Little Shit, Out of Character, Suicidal Thoughts, ambiguous time period, haikyuu timeskip characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:01:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 24,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27716470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xraspberries/pseuds/xraspberries
Summary: Prince Atsumu had assumed it would be easy to convince Prince Shoyo, heir to the Karasuno kingdom, to accept his hand in marriage. After all, he was just a happy ball of sunshine with his head in the clouds, right?
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou & Miya Atsumu, Hinata Shouyou/Miya Atsumu
Comments: 22
Kudos: 115





	1. The Sunshine Prince

**Author's Note:**

> hi! this is my first haikyuu fanfic! i hope you enjoy the first chapter, and i do plan to update, although i haven't fully planned out the full story yet. it'll probably be around 10 chapters, maybe more if i get some good ideas. feedback welcome!

**“** Sir Rintaro, how much further is it to the castle?” he whined, tapping his foot impatiently at the dusty floor of the carriage. Resting his head on her hand, he looked out at the cascading landscape of lush green decorated by wild flowers as the carriage gradually made its way up the large hill along an endless winding path.

“Well Atsumu, this journey would be a lot quicker if you’d taken my offer to leave the carriage at the gate and simply make our way up the stairs that the Hinata family has.” replied the knight dismissively, tapping at the two horses with his riding crop in an attempt to hurry them up the path.

“That’s P _rince_ Atsumu to ya,” he grumbled, looking away from the window as the path brought the carriage in full view of the warm morning sun.

“When you’ve proven that you’ve worked a day in your life for your title, maybe I’ll consider it. But besides that, we’re heading up the final spiral of this hill, so it’ll just be another five minutes.”

He stayed quiet after that, glowering while observing the bluebells lining the path. Why on earth would he expect a lowly knight of all people to engage in a proper conversation with him, Prince of one of the most prosperous kingdoms in the land, anyway? Just because his curriculum had consisted of literature and music as opposed to shedding blood didn’t mean he was oblivious to life.

“Atsumu, we’re approaching the castle now,” Sir Rintaro said curtly. “I’d advise you to start acting like a good suitor to gain Prince Shoyo’s approval.”

“Should be a piece a cake,” he replied, waving his hand away dismissively. “I mean, have you seen him on his tours? He grins like an idiot nonstop, shouts to the crowd like there’s no tomorrow and looks like he’s constantly daydreamin’. Just a few compliments and he’s sure ta fall for me.”

Sir Rintaro paused for a second before replying, “Yeah, sure thing. Whatever you say.”

Before Atsumu could make a retort, a guard opened the door to the carriage and held out his hand to escort him out.

“Do send my best wishes to my wonderful twin brother!” Atsumu called out in a grandiose tone as the carriage began to turn away from the castle. “I’m sure he’ll be so lonely without me to liven up the castle for a week.”

Sir Rintaro simply rolled his eyes, tapping at the horses with his riding crop as the gates closed behind them.

“Prince Atsumu, please follow me into the main chamber,” the guard said with a click of his heels.

“Of course, sir…?”

“Sir Chikara Ennoshita,” the guard replied briefly.

There was a short silence while they made their way down a long hallway decorated to the brim with various paintings and vases before Atsumu ordered the guard to stop to let him fix up the buttons on his tuxedo. “And I assume there are no qualms about Prince Hinata’s suitor being a man like myself, is that correct?”

“Of course not, Prince Atsumu,” the guard said, furrowing his eyebrows. “Well- the prince’s parents had originally preferred a female suitor, but it is likely that will never happen in the near future because-”

“Because of what, sir Chikara…?” Atsumu asked, puzzled by this piece of information.

“W-well, it’s probably not my place as a knight to discuss these family matters,” he said dismissively, reaching for the keys in his pocket. “If you wouldn’t mind, Prince Atsumu, please don’t mention any of it to Prince Shoyo when we enter the chamber.”

Atsumu put on his signature smirk, saying it was absolutely no issue at all, whilst trying to hide the way his mind whirred curiously. Maybe little Shoyo was actually more than just an annoyingly noisy ball of energy that never failed to make it harder for Atsumu to keep up his cool facade at the yearly kingdom balls. _God, those stupid kingdom balls_ , Atsumu grumbled in his head, scowling mentally as he tried to get the image of him desperately scrubbing away at a new suit that had been soiled by Hinata’s glass of red wine out of his head. And the way that stupid boy had just smiled and brightly apologised before tapping the girl Atsumu had been talking to on the shoulder and-

“The Prince Shoyo will see you now, Prince Atsumu,” the guard announced suddenly, interrupting Atsumu’s train of thought.

As he strode into the chamber nonchalantly, Atsumu drank in the extravagant decorations lining the walls of the large room. Gold and jewels from a bygone era lined the edges of every carefully placed painting, which showcased every aspect of the Hinata family’s bloodline from seemingly superficial moments to the coronation of every new king and queen in the family. The steps leading up towards the throne upon which Hinata sat on were lined with a soft white hide- _well soft until the hair scratched at his newly polished boots_ , Atsumu grumbled to himself. His castle back home simply used fine wool to combat this most annoying problem.

And who could forget the star of the day, the young Prince Shoyo Hinata? It had been a while since Atsumu had managed to see Shoyo so close up, but he was just as irritatingly smiley as he’d remembered. And yet as he got closer, the vibes he got from the sunshine prince were very different from what he’d expected, though he couldn’t put his finger on it at that moment. However, he pushed these thoughts to the back of his head, making his way to the top of the stairs. As he approached, Hinata’s hands messed with his fluffy orange locks, letting out an “uwah!” sound when Atsumu held out his hand with a grin.

“Ahh, mister Atsumu! It’s good to meet you!” Hinata exclaimed, shaking Atsumu’s hand with a bubbly vigour.

“The pleasure’s all mine, Shoyo,” Atsumu said, taking Hinata’s hand in both of his and holding it there. “And please, simply call me Atsumu. If we are to be equals, there is no need for the formalities.”

“If that’s what you wish, Atsumu!” Turning to the guard who had led Atsumu in, Hinata pointed and said, “Ennoshita, please could you leave the two of us here alone? I can’t wait to get to know mister Atsumu better!”

The guard gave the two of them a wry smile before turning around with a click of his heels, shutting the door behind him.

“Now, mister Atsumu, I’ll lead you to my drawing room!” Hinata got up from the throne with a bounce and proceeded to run down the steps, gesturing for Atsumu to follow.

Atsumu didn’t like that he couldn’t read Hinata immediately. Not only had he immediately dropped the promise to address him as “Atsumu” instead of “mister Atsumu,” Hinata’s general mannerisms confused the everloving hell out of him. His way of applying onomatopoeic phrases after almost every point clashed with the surprisingly intelligent conversation topics they were having about from rowing to the best ways to style hedgerows. Typical boring small talk wasn’t supposed to have these idiosyncratic quirks. And for god’s sake, the man was 24, barely a year or two younger than Atsumu himself, so did he _have_ to wave his hands around like that every time he got to an exciting part of his tangents?

“-and then, I was like GWAHH when the duchess Michimiya showed me this amazing way to make the perfect shortcake and- hey mister Atsumu, you are listening to what I’m talking about, right?!”

Atsumu nodded his head quickly and opened his eyes a little wider. “Of course, Hinata. Yes Michimiya is a fantastic cook, especially for a noble. Sawamura is a very lucky man. Now, if you wouldn’t mind, i’d love to discuss the topic of your beautiful kingdom…”

He had to endure this, Atsumu said to himself. The Karasuno kingdom had flourished in recent years, all of which was attributed to the happy go lucky atmosphere the new Prince had managed to create with his stable policies. Although his parents, most notably the current queen, were still officially in charge, the kingdom had generally accepted Shoyo as their new face. If this marriage were to be a success, it would create endless opportunities for both of their nations.

Unfortunately, Shoyo seemed insistent on staying off the topic of business.

“Come oooon, mister Atsumu, don’t you want to hear about _how_ to make the cheesecake? I thought you were here for a date!”

“Like I-i’ve said Hinata, please just refer to me as Atsumu,” he replied, grinning through gritted teeth. “And I- well, my advisors would really like to know about your methods of running the kingdom of Karasuno-”

“Ehhhh?” Hinata groaned, clasping onto Atsumu’s arm with an expression that screamed of a begging puppy. “Not faiiiir, not fair!”

Now, Atsumu liked to think he was a great listener. But his building frustration in combination with Hinata’s grating tone had snapped the final string holding back his actual feelings.

“For god’s sake, will you get a fucking grip?!” he exclaimed, yanking his arm away. “This is the real world, and that means I’m here for business as much as I’m here for you.”

Looking blankly at Atsumu, Hinata scratched at his head, the former cheery smile contorting into a more maniacal grin. “Huh…so that’s how it’s going to be, mister Atsumu…”

Crossing his arms, Atsumu’s brows knitted together. “I don’t follow.”

“I must say mister Atsumu,” Hinata continued, eyes staring straight into Atsumu, “you’ve been the quickest out of all of them to say why you’re really here. It’s flattering, though it has been quite obvious since I shook your hand that you hate me for whatever reason.”

Atsumu sat there dumbfounded as Hinata started giggling uncontrollably at his reaction. _So this was what Shoyo was hiding? Was he off his smirk game that day, or was there something more to this boy?”_

“Well, mister Atsumu,” Hinata finally said after catching his breath, “now we’re all on the same page, I’ll just tell you one thing. I hate liars. So I’ve learned to spot liars from a mile away. You’re the worst liar I’ve seen in a while. And your fake accent sucks.”

“Who the hell do ya think yer talking to, ya scrawny human tangerine-” Atsumu’s old habits of speaking from his childhood came roaring back before he was interrupted by a loud whistle followed by the creaking sound of the drawing room door.

“Ahh, Tsukishima!” Hinata cried, resuming his ever bright expression. “I do believe it’s going to rain this evening, so would you please arrange for a carriage to take mister Atsumu back to the Inarizaki kingdom?”

“Certainly,” he said, gesturing for Atsumu to follow him. Unlike the previous guard Sir Chikara, this guard had an underlying mocking look on his face and kept side-eyeing Atsumu as they made their way back towards the front entrance.

“What d’ya- you find so funny?” Atsumu asked, frowning.

“Well, as you’re likely to not be welcomed back for personal business anytime soon, I might as well tell you. I’m specifically stationed for the purposes of throwing unsuitable suitors out when the prince sees fit.”

“Huh? And I’m unsuitable?!”

“Please don’t argue with me, Prince Atsumu. Although I’m just a knight, I will commit to my orders set by the prince, and harsher measures can be implemented if needs be. Now, please follow me to the carriage. I’ll be the one to see you home.”

As the carriage trundled across the start of puddles, Atsumu scowled, going over the best ways in his head to tell sir Rintaro that not only had it been much more aggravating than he’d expected, but that he’d been effectively thrown out in record time for a suitor for letting his suave image slip.

Needless to say, today had not been his finest moment.

And yet, even as he pouted miserably at the sheep he passed by, his mind kept turning at the events of that afternoon. What the hell was that look Shoyo had given him, that look completely unlike anything he had seen from him? What was really going on inside that little tangerine’s head? 

“We’ve reached your castle, Prince Atsumu.”

 _Well,_ Atsumu thought to himself, _as it is, I’m not gonna find that out anytime soon._

After Atsumu got out of the carriage, the knight handed him a small scroll with a smile. “In layman’s terms, although you’ll be capable of reading it in detail later, you’re permitted to interact with the prince on business terms and for events, but any personal advances are prohibited and will be dealt with by the current ruler.”

“Isn’t this a little much for me telling him to get a grip?” Atsumu asked, peering at the long list of potential consequences.

“Well, Prince Atsumu, that’s not for me to decide,” the knight replied, looking towards the floor with narrowed eyes. “The karasuno kingdom’s policies are a combination of the current rulers’ and the prince’s decisions.”

“Alright then, sir Tsukki-”

“Please call me sir Kei.”

“My apologies, sir Kei. Give the prince my best wishes, will you?”

“As you wish.”

Stamping through the arched door, Atsumu rubbed at his head while a maid took his coat off of him. “Prince Atsumu, is there anything you need?” she asked, dusting his belongings down.

“Get me a slice of chocolate cake,” he sniveled.


	2. Bittersweet Solstice

Four dreary days later, and Atsumu was still gripping his quill in annoyance at the mere thought of the events that had occurred.  _ How could he have messed up so badly? _ he had thought, scribbling out yet another word in his weekly letter to Duke Shinsuke Kita. Alas, he had come to the conclusion that some business deals were simply not worth saving, and that he should turn his hungry eyes towards better.

“Oi, Tsumu,” a voice spoke from behind Atsumu’s bedroom door.

“What is it Samu?” Atsumu groaned, frustrated at the interruptance of his letter writing and the arrival of yet another ink splotch on his new quill.

“Mail. Specially signed from the Aoba Johsai kingdom.”

Atsumu rolled his eyes, snatching the letter sealed with elaborately decorated turquoise wax from his twin brother Osamu’s hands. “Let’s see here- god Tooru likes to seal these things tightly- it’s an invitation for a solstice dinner party.”

“Hmm? Already?” Osamu asked, peering over Atsumu’s shoulder and scanning the letter to see who was being invited.

“Ugh and yes Samu, you are invited,” Atsumu said, seeming to read the other twin’s mind. “Even though I  _ am  _ the older twin.”

“Tsumu, this has nothing to do with the lineage,” Osamu shot back, slightly disgruntled at the reminder that Atsumu was going to inherit the throne first. “Anyways, didn’t we already have a party a few weeks ago? Why’s prince Tooru arranging another at such short notice?”

“It’s likely for business,” Atsumu replied, scratching at his golden locks. “You know how Tooru is- spending extortionate amounts of money on women and frivolous projects in an attempt to mask that affair he’s having with his servant from their current rulers.”

Casually striding into Atsumu’s generously sized closet, Osamu rifled through a series of perfectly ironed shirts, making a small noise of satisfaction upon finding a modestly decorated suit. “Whatever the reason is Tsumu, it’s in a few hours, and if you don’t mind, I’ll be taking back  _ my  _ suit that’s been sitting inside  _ your  _ closet.”

With that, Osamu left the room, letting the heavy mahogany door creak shut. 




“We’ve arrived at the party venue,” Sir Rintarou announced, gesturing for the horses to stop.

“Thank you, Sir Rintarou,” Osamu said, waving gently as he stepped out of the carriage after Atsumu.

“Of course. Prince Osamu, Atsumu, I understand that Prince Tooru has arranged sleeping arrangements for the night?”

“Oi Sir Rintarou, how come I’m never given my proper ti-”

“That’s correct,” Osamu replied, interjecting Atsumu’s protests.

“Alright then. Please have a good night.”

The venue in the Aoba Johsai kingdom that Oikawa had chosen was, as per his style, exquisitely decorated. Clear crystals decorated the walls of the estate, reflecting warm candlelight like thousands of stars. The table, situated inside a large pavilion a few metres away from the grass, was furnished with pure white cloth and red roses along the path towards it. On the freshly cut grass, guests were already laughing gaily, glasses in hand as they liaised. It almost made Atsumu wonder how on earth Oikawa could get away with spending so much of the kingdom’s wealth on such frivolity.

“Good evening, my dear guests,” Oikawa said in a sing-song voice. “You must be the Miya twins from the Inarizaki kingdom, is that correct?”

“That’s right,” Atsumu replied, mentally switching away from his natural dialect as he shook Oikawa’s hand. “This is a wonderful dinner party you’ve arranged, prince Tooru.”

“The pleasure’s all mine,” Oikawa replied smoothly, beckoning a smartly dressed man with spiky hair. “Hajime, could you kindly fetch two glasses of wine?”

Atsumu watched through lowered lids, observing the way Oikawa’s cheeks flushed pink at the opportunity to order around this servant, who’s eyes glared in defiance behind his neutral expression. Of course, as an heir to a respectable kingdom, it wasn’t his place to call out such behaviour, but-

“Tsumu, please stop staring blankly into space. You’re in the way of the cold meats platter.”

Huffing quietly, Atsumu stepped aside, only to suddenly lose his balance as his leg became entangled with another. His wine glass went flying from his hand, shattering into a million tiny pieces as he crashed to the unusually soft and warm ground. Upon a quick further inspection, Atsumu realised this ground was actually a smaller body.

“Hey- what-,” he heard someone stammering from underneath him, clawing at his leg. As Atsumu moved his leg to the side of the other’s body, his expression contorted from being confused to stupefied.

_ Fluffy orange hair _

Hinata’s large brown eyes stared up at Atsumu’s figure in bewilderment, unable to escape as Atsumu’s arms were planted firmly on the ground either side of him. Meanwhile, Atsumu’s mind was racing as he tried to process what exactly had happened.

“ _ What’s that rude-mouthed…” _

_ “...irritating tangerine hair…” _

_ “...way too tall idiot…” _

_ “...doing here?!” _

A small silence overtook them, neither being sure what to do.

“...mister Atsumu, please could you shift to one side?” Hinata finally asked, being the first one to regain a sense of the occasion.

Atsumu cleared his throat, moving himself and staggering up away from the serving tables where the accident had occurred. “I’m terribly sorry about that, prince Shoyo. I hope your clothes have not been ruined.”

He gave a disgruntled side-eye to Hinata, to which the smaller prince stared back in feigned innocence, noting the shattered glass on the grass as he stood up after Atsumu. “No, I’m so so sorry, mister Atsumu!” Hinata exclaimed, glancing around to see Oikawa ordering Iwaizumi and another maid to clear up the shattered glass. “Is there anything I can do to make this up to you?”

_ Yeah, as if you’re actually sorry,  _ Atsumu scoffed to himself, taking in Hinata’s wide-eyed pity expression. “No no, don’t trouble yourself,” he replied nonchalantly, dusting his suit down. “I’m just concerned with this rather expensive glass of Oikawa’s that’s now on the floor…”

“Ah, don’t you worry about that Atsumu,” Oikawa called out, walking over to put an arm around his shoulder. “It’s merely... collateral damage. Now, I simply must show you the dahlias. My gardeners have done a fantastic job with them.”   


“See you around, mister Atsumu!” Hinata exclaimed with a big smile, waving as Oikawa whisked Atsumu away towards the back of the lawn.

“My bad, Atsumu,” Oikawa murmured in Atsumu’s ear as they walked towards a quieter area of the venue: a small display of white flowers which encircled a smaller pavilion. “The news about your, ahem, encounter with Shoyo, hadn’t reached our kingdom until the night before.”

“Eh? How would ya even find out about that when it was a private meeting?”

“Let’s just say I have excellent connections with the Karasuno kingdom,” he said with a whimsical grin.

Atsumu rolled his eyes and rubbed at his temples. “Anyways, why’d ya usher me all the way out here? I mean, the feeling’s mutual.”

“That's why you’ve got to be careful,” Oikawa sighed. “You remember that scroll, don’t you? Interacting with him under non-business terms is prohibited.”

“Huh?!” Atsumu shouted, before remembering they were supposed to be conversing quietly. “It wasn’t  _ my  _ fault he happened to be in the way.”

“That’s true… so perhaps you’ll be let off without the rumour spreading this time…”

“‘Scuse me? No one said anything about tha-”

The sounds of a well-tuned violin started to fill the air, followed by the slow melody of a piano.

“Oh, I do believe our evening meal is starting now!” Oikawa said. “Let’s make our way over to the main pavilion now, shall we?”

Atsumu smiled at the thought of some well catered food, though he was slightly disgruntled at the fact that his train of thought had been interrupted twice in one evening. “Food sounds good. Let’s go.”




Unsurprisingly, Oikawa’s chefs had gone all out on the meal, with a selection of perfectly roasted meats and legumes topped off with some rich gravy. Yet, as Atsumu frowned at his plate and tried to cut a particularly tougher portion of the veal, he couldn’t quite get into the mood of the party. His mind wandered back to that particularly awkward part of the evening, when Hinata had somehow managed to become intertwined with him.  _ God, and it made me look like some dumbass who doesn’t know how to behave at a party,  _ he groaned in his head, fighting back the urge to be rougher with the knife. He glanced over at Hinata who was laughing loudly again, chewing on the piece of veal slightly more aggressively.

_ If only he were embarrassed more often, then he might fool me with that cuteness.  _

Atsumu’s eyes widened at this unexpected thought, having to reach for his new glass of wine as he almost choked.  _ What? He didn’t think that moron was cute! Where the hell had he gotten that? _

“Tsumu, are you alright?” Osamu asked, waving a hand in front of Atsumu’s peripheral. “Your ears have gone red, and you’ve missed the question prince Tooru was asking you.”

“Course I’m alright Samu,” he hissed to him. Smiling politely at Oikawa, he asked him to repeat the question.

“Oh, I was just asking what scents you prefer, prince Atsumu,” Oikawa responded, smirking as his eyes flitted from Atsumu to Hinata, who was now fiddling with a silk handkerchief. “The invitation to the Inarizaki kingdom took far longer to arrive, you see, and I think this is you and prince Osamu’s first time staying with us.”

“Oh, of course.” Atsumu shook his head quickly, regaining some of his composure. “Sandalwood for me, cinnamon for Osamu.”  _ Hey, Tooru didn’t need to be so smug about what had happened. Just because the Aoba Johsai kingdom has better links with the Karasuno kingdom doesn’t mean he needs to rub it in… _

“Alright everyone!” Oikawa called out, making the table fall into a hush. “A toast please, for a prosperous summer and an even better fall!”

With the quiet mutter of “Kotarou, that’s your cue”, a harmonious clink of glasses ensued as Oikawa instructed for the plates to be cleared for dessert.




“Maan Samu, am I glad we can get some rest now,” Atsumu sighed, opening the door connecting the indoor dining room to the staircase leading to the sleeping quarters.

“For once Tsumu, you’re right.” Osamu yawned, looking around to see they were the last to make their way upstairs. “Was an extra dance really necessary after wine  _ and  _ a three course meal?”

“Apparently so for Mr Tooru “ladies man” Oikawa. God, you should’ve seen the looks his servant was giving him…”

Atsumu tapped his foot on the carpeted floor, scrunching his eyebrows in concentration at something he was trying to remember.

“You’re down the left hall, red rose on your right,” Osamu said. “At least prince Tooru had the decency to separate our rooms.”

“Of- of course I knew that!” Atsumu protested, pivoting on one foot towards the left corridor. “Well, sweet dreams Samu.”

“And to you too Tsumu,” Osamu murmured, shaking his head with a smile as Atsumu waltzed away.

Right as Atsumu had found his room - a comfortably sized space behind a thick wooden door with a red rose basket hanging up on the wall beside it - a strong scent of lavender had caught his attention. He wasn’t usually the type to be nosy (well that was a lie, as far as Osamu was concerned) but he figured it couldn’t hurt to at least take a peek at the flower basket outside the ajar door before he got some well-deserved rest.

Like the rest of the rooms, Oikawa had placed a basket of everyone’s preferred flowers with one of his signature catchphrases. Atsumu had seen “Yahoo, have a good night!” and “Are you milk bread, because you’re my favourite thing <3” on the way to his room, among other meaningless niceties. However, the message in this one was slightly longer, and written in Oikawa’s messier handwriting that mostly appeared in his letters.

_ “Shoyo, these flowers are difficult to get out of season >:( _

_ I’m only doing this because you and Tobio liked them so much _

_ Anyways, have a good night _

_ -Oikawa _

_ P.-  _

The message appeared to be torn at the bottom and so, being mindful of the basket of forget-me-nots, Atsumu replaced the note back where it was originally and headed into his room, huffing at the idea that Oikawa would give the tangerine more special treatment than him. With a swift change of clothes into some cooler nightwear, he flopped onto the soft bed and fell asleep quickly.




In the room opposite him, Hinata was lighting a candle beside him, giggling in a drunken state. “He may be super rude, but at least he’s just stupid,” he whispered to himself taking a scrap of paper that read “-S. Atsumu didn’t mean anything, so if you could just distance yourself from him, that would be great <3” and holding it up to the flame. While the paper turned to ashes, Hinata’s eyes closed drowsily, the murmurs of “Glad you’re not like that, Kageyama...” on his lips as he slipped into a deep sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> school's finally out, so I can update some more! Atsumu's still sure right now that he is completely irritated by Hinata - or is he?


	3. Misunderstandings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Somehow, a rather compromising picture made its way to the papers, along with some wild rumors. The Miya twins decide to take advantage of it.

Atsumu woke with a yawn, sunlight streaming through the crack in the curtains. He rubbed at his eyes, trudging to the clock to take a closer look at the time.

“Let’s see here…. 8…. 8:45….”

He processed what he was seeing before he yelled out in shock, scrambling for the clothes that had been sent to the closet in the room. 

“Shit, breakfast was supposed to start at 8:30!”

Atsumu groaned, trying to button up his shirt at the same time as hoisting up dress pants. With his golden locks brushed hastily, he bolted out of the door, running down the staircase and into the large indoor dining facilities, where Oikawa was ready to greet him.

“Ahh, prince Atsumu! You’re the last one here, but it’s lovely that you made it!”

Atsumu looked at Oikawa’s almost pristine appearance, secretly envying the way the brunette could get his hair to sit perfectly every morning. He briefly glanced at a faded mark at the side of Oikawa’s neck, before smiling politely. “Please excuse my unpunctual arrival, prince Tooru. The mattresses in your rooms were very comfortable.”

“I’m very glad to hear it.” Oikawa pointed towards an empty space next to where Osamu was already sitting, plate half empty. “Well, please tell me if you need any refreshments.”   


“Of course.” Atsumu replied, walking quickly to a plate of delicately poached eggs and lightly buttered toast with a tall glass of orange juice at the side.

“Knew you’d be late Tsumu,” Osamu whispered to him, sipping at his glass, “so I asked prince Tooru to prepare yer food a little later. Shouldn’t be too cold.”

“Hey Samu, ya didn’t have to show me up like that!” Atsumu hissed, stuffing a whole chunk of egg into his mouth. “Besides, I’m not  _ that  _ late.”

“Whatever, you two are familiar with each other so I’m sure he saw it coming anyways. That guy knows way too much about everyone.”

Atsumu sighed, trying to quickly finish his breakfast quickly so as not to hold up the other guests. He took in the atmosphere of the room, noting how calm the chatter amongst the guests was compared to the evening before. “Hey Samu, where’s that little tangerine?”

“Prince Shoyo?” Osamu asked, chewing thoughtfully at a piece of crust. “He probably drank too much and went back to his castle in the early morning. I remember seeing him last night and well- didn’t know such a shortie could put away that much wine.”

“Mm…” Atsumu thought back to the last event of the night - a ballroom dancing affair that had lasted about half an hour, with the guests pairing up with either their respective partners or whoever else they saw fit. Recoiling violently at the idea of dancing with Osamu, Atsumu had chosen to instead dance with a rather petite girl with blonde hair tied into a ponytail who seemed to cower in his presence no matter what he’d said to try and calm her down. He hadn’t remembered a lot of his surroundings, but he’d figured Hinata would be the type to fling himself into these kinds of events, not stand at the sidelines drinking.  _ This enigma of a sunshine was just getting weirder,  _ he thought to himself




As the carriage bumped over the familiar roads of the Karasuno kingdom, Hinata held his forehead in his hands, the aftereffects of a night of drinking still kicking in hours after waking up. “Hey, sir Tsukki,” he groaned, “can you ask the cook to make meat buns when we get back?”

“Prince Shoyo, how many times will it take for you to realise that you and alcohol never leads to anything good?”

“What? It was fun while it lasted…” He shifted positions to rest his head on the side of the carriage, comforted by the curtains that hid him from the watchful eyes of his people. “Besides, it wasn’t all bad! I got to see that idiot who was at the castle last week make a scene out of himself. Well, it did end up with me trapped… underneath him… unable to move…”

Hinata felt his cheeks go hot for a reason he was unable to pin - perhaps anger or embarrassment - which caused him to stutter and let out an exasperated “gwah!”

“Well wh-whatever!” he finally said, slapping himself in the face with both hands. “His stupid persona slipped and that’s all that matters. I’ll let him off for that small breach in his contract for now.”

“Understood, prince Shoyo,” replied Tsukishima quietly. “Less work for the knights, in any case.”

“Hey, don’t use this as an excuse to slack off!” Hinata retorted loudly. “I might just make you do extra training and- fwahh, my head kills…”

“Good grief,” Tsukishima muttered as Hinata was once again immobilised by his headache. “What would Kageyama think about this…?”




“Samu, why is there a crowd in the road up ahead?”

The Miya twins and their knight had arrived at a busy street, where a large crowd of citizens and what seemed to be paper boys were blocking the path towards the gate of the Inarizaki castle.

“Excuse me mister knight! Are the rumours true?”

“Is Prince Atsumu truly in a new courtship with another prince?”

“Hey, can we get some statements for the headlines?”

“What the hell are they on about?” hissed Atsumu, balling his hand into a fist. “That meeting last week was completely private. No one would have witnessed any of it other than me and the shrimp! I swear, if he’s been doing what Tooru said he’d be doing, I’ll-”

“Whatever it is Tsumu, you’ve gotta act fast,” Osamu replied shrugging. “Rumours spread quickly and ya know it. Remember when ya joked about onigiri being yer number one food and then the city served ya one hundred plates-”

“Please Samu, I’d rather forget it. You’re right though, I need to get my hands on a newspaper.”   
  


Opening the curtains and the windows of the carriage, Atsumu stopped a young lady who was clutching a newspaper and reading it with a look of jealousy on her face. “Excuse me ma’am, may I have a look at what you’re reading there?”

“P-prince Atsumu!” the lady started, blushing as she thrusted the newspaper into his hands. “A-are the rumours true? Are ya truly seeing Prince Hinata?”

“My dear, I’m going to need a moment to read this,” Atsumu responded with a strained smile on his face, closing the windows and curtains again swiftly.

“Hey, prince Atsumu!” she cried, struggling against a soldier as the crowd was parted by royal guards. “They’re not true, are they? You're my one true love!”

“Damn,” Osamu mused, looking out at the crowd. “How  _ does _ Tsumu get fans with that personality of his?”

But Atsumu wasn’t in the mood for friendly banter, his eyes narrowing as he read the front headlines. “ _ Inarizaki’s Prince Atsumu photographed by an anonymous source pinning down Karasuno’s Prince Hinata at an official party in the Aoba Johsai kingdom! Is there a secret affair transpiring between the two heirs?” _

Underneath the article, several photos of the extravagant party were printed, the largest one being a closeup shot of the two princes. In it, the faces of them were captured clearly, Atsumu’s face being one of what he considered to be extremely unflattering blind panic. He groaned, his eyes flitting to Hinata who had somehow managed to still appear like his usual ditzy self despite having been at the mercy of Atsumu’s arms. The article continued to speculate on their relationship, the writing sounding like the equivalent of hushed gossip, with wild theories that the affair could have started as early as last year at the last ball. It ended with a few facts about the Karasuno kingdom, the complications involving future heirs, and what prospects it could bring to the Inarizaki kingdom.

  
He cursed, throwing the newspaper to the floor of the carriage. “All this fuss over  _ one  _ thing that happened at Tooru’s stupid party. How the hell do they manage to print these things so fast?”

“What you should be asking is how that picture got taken,” Osamu remarked, peering over his shoulder and muffling a not-so-subtle laugh upon seeing the picture. “I mean, it’s a regular celebration. Normally they block any strange photographers from setting up cameras after the first hour of the party.”

“I don’t have time to worry about that! I’ve gotta find a way to make sure  _ I’m  _ the one coming out looking good at the end of this and-”

“We’ve arrived back at the castle,” Suna announced, stopping the carriage. “Would the two of you like anything prepared?”

“We’ll sort something out Tsumu. Sir Rintarou, please could you tell the cooks to prepare some tea and lunch?”




  
Back at the castle, Atsumu was munching on some tuna sushi while Osamu sipped some tea. It was the late afternoon now, and so the sun shone warmly through the large windows of the castle dining room.

“Right, so the Atsuhina situation…” Osamu began, setting down his teacup.

“Oi Samu, don’t call it that! You’re acting like this is an actual thing!” Atsumu pouted as he dipped yet another tuna nigiri into some soya sauce.

“Don’t care, the name’s cool.”

“ _ Samu!” _

“Anyways, this story’s in the newspaper that goes out to all the other kingdoms. That means prince Shoyo’s probably sittin’ in his place pissed that he’s gotta deal with you again in terms of addressing the rumours to his kingdom. As well as that, you’ve been on your ass and not bothered with finding anyone permanent to be with for the last seven years of your adulthood-”

“God Samu, it’s not my fault I have a specific type in people-”

“Yeah Tsumu, either people with big egos or big b-”

“You can shut yer trap about my interests when you’re the one gushing over Saeko, Duchess of Karasuno! Don’t think I forgot those letters-”

“My point is Tsumu,” Osamu continued, cheeks reddened, “you might actually benefit from this rumour if you go along with what they’re saying about you.”

Atsumu gave Osamu an incredulous look. “You’re saying I should go and say that me and the tangerine are seeing each other?!”

“I mean, wasn’t that your end goal last week? You and prince Shoyo just need to get photographed on some official dates and events. If he’s really that bad, just release an official breakup statement next month. You’ll probably get some good insight into the Karasuno kingdom from it, he’ll be annoyed enough at the ordeal for your twisted liking, and hey, he’s not the worst looking guy.”

“Yeah, but he pisses me off to no end,” Atsumu groaned, resting his arm on the table. 

“Does he really, though? You did seem preoccupied with him last night…”

“Hey, don’t buy into what they’re writing about me!” Atsumu exclaimed, crossing his arms. “Besides, there’s also that scroll I was made to sign. I’m not supposed to be interacting with him for any reasons other than business terms.”

Osamu walked over to a small table near the door and picked up the scroll, unravelling it and peering at the cursive. “Sanctions… Jesus, fifty pieces of gold for sending a love letter? Business.... Business occasions… here it is.”

“Samu, what does it say? I never read it past the first couple sentences.”

“That’s pretty clear,” Samu replied, rolling his eyes, “‘cus otherwise you wouldn’t have gotten so worked up. Business terms are defined as just that: any conversations or interactions that would result in benefits for either party in terms of financial or social stability. And you’re always the one insisting you’re only into these things for the money…” 

“God, fine,” Atsumu sighed. “Tell the newspaper boys this then: Prince Atsumu Miya is seein’ Prince Shoyo, and he wishes he could’ve made the statement sooner as he wishes to tell the world how much he loves him.” He finished this statement with a flourish, one hand on his chest and another dramatically raised in the air.   


Osamu stifled a fit of laughter as he got up to leave the dining room. “I can’t wait to see the look on his face when he reads this loada shit from you, Tsumu.”

As soon as the door shut, Atsumu scratched at his hair, mind racing.  _ Had he really just done that? Damn, Samu could be ruthless with business decisions.  _ Yet, there was a part of him that was starting to weirdly enjoy this turn of events for reasons other than the possible business deals. Atsumu had found that over the years, he had enjoyed control and the challenge that came with it, and something about catching another glance of Hinata’s genuine loss of power was making him anticipate the days ahead of him.




The next morning, a loud yell reverberated around the Karasuno castle as Hinata read and reread the day’s papers.

“No way… no freaking way that bastard actually said that…”

The front cover of the newspaper featured two pictures of Atsumu, one featuring his usual smirking expression and the other showing him blowing a kiss to the camera.  _ Prince Atsumu confirms romantic relationship with Prince Shoyo _

“Why the hell didn’t anyone tell me about the papers from yesterday?!” Hinata complained, tossing the newspaper onto the floor of his bedroom.

“W-well prince Hinata,” Ennoshita said nervously, “you said you wished to be left alone in the gardens all afternoon and-”

“Oh, what’s even the point?” He sighed before drinking the glass of orange juice on his bedside table. “I suppose there’s no getting out of it now, especially with that badly defined set of interaction terms. So what do we do now?”

“Ahem, well, arrangements will be made to meet with the prince in the next few days. I think they’ll be in the Nekoma kingdom, as their roads avoid the most populated areas.”

“Nekoma, huh? Does that mean we can go and visit lord Kenma?”

Ennoshita was fairly certain that if they wanted to come out of this mess quickly then there needed to be no distractions, but it was clear from the slightly fond look on Hinata’s face that the desire was set in stone now.

“I’ll be sure to pass on the message about it,” Ennoshita said with a nod, walking out of Hinata’s bedroom.

Hinata picked up the newspaper from the floor and read through the article once more. His fingers traced the sentences of Atsumu’s love declaration once more, catching himself smiling genuinely just for a moment before shaking his head in surprise.  _ Seriously, was Atsumu trying to copy mister Oikawa or something?  _ He walked over to the silver vanity in his room and stared at himself in the mirror. His cheeks were flushed and his hair was in a worse state of affairs than it was the previous night.

“Did I really get that mad..?” he said out loud, picking up a comb and raking it through his orange locks.  _ I must’ve, because that statement’s the stupidest thing I’ve read in ages. Only an idiot would actually like being told that. _ ..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> god i really tried to make this bit not too nonsensical :P  
> i hope i'm not making it too much of a slow burn! fingers crossed, there's gonna be a bit more going on in the next few chapters


	4. Sky Tree

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Atsumu and Hinata formally meet for a fake date, and Atsumu begins to learn more about the real sunshine prince.

Atsumu peered into the mirror in his room, combing his side parting carefully as he prepared for his first official “date” with Hinata. He’d been surprised at the lack of a hefty fine at the castle doorsteps, but rather a short letter with an orange Karasuno seal and the front of the envelope having his name etched angrily in messy cursive. 

Chuckling to himself, Atsumu took the letter from his pocket and unfolded it to have one last read before he was to be escorted to the carriage. The letter started off formally (well, as formally as Hinata normally presented himself), but soon devolved into a list of requirements for their image, as well as a slew of insults. One that made Atsumu feel a twinge of irritation was “piss hair moron” because it wasn’t  _ his  _ fault that people didn’t seem to appreciate his decision to dye his hair a more golden blonde as opposed to his twin brother’s platinum blonde colour. To really add salt to the wound, the end of the letter simply read, “Not yours sincerely, Shoyo.”

_ Well, no mistakin’ his thoughts on me,  _ Atsumu thought cynically, folding the letter back up and placing it on his dressing table before leaving his room.




“This Nekoma kingdom isn’t half bad,” marvelled Atsumu, leaning his arm against the window of the carriage to look at the fields of poppies they were passing by. “So, Sir Rintarou, what’s this Sky Gardens place we’re visiting like?”

“See for yourself,” Suna replied, pointing upwards. “It’s just up ahead.”

“What are ya on about? We just got he-”

Atsumu stopped, gazing up at a spiralling tower surrounded by apple trees and thick green bushes, supported on top of large moss-covered walls. From where they currently were, Atsumu could make out two tall marble statues at the bottom of a long set of steps, one of a cat on its back legs, the other of a crow flapping its wings. 

“Holy shit.”

The carriage came to a slightly bumpy stop as the road transitioned from dirt to cobbled stone, and Suna’s voice called out to Atsumu to come out of the carriage. However, as Atsumu was about to step out, he heard a sharp knock at the window. Opening the curtains, Atsumu recoiled in surprise as a grinning face framed by messy black hair greeted him.

“Ohoho, look who we have here,” the face said, its grin stretching to that of a Cheshire cat. “If it isn’t the older twin of Inarizaki, Prince Atsumu.”

Atsumu got out of the carriage hastily, startled by this sudden greeting. He walked over to the other side of the carriage where the window was, only to find a rather tall figure waiting for him.

“The name’s Tetsuro Kuroo, but please refer to me as Kuroo,” he said, going in for a handshake. “I’m Nekoma’s royal advisor and your guide for today.”

“It’s very nice to meet you Kuroo,” Atsumu replied, shaking his hand firmly. “When do you expect that dear Prince Shoyo will be arriving?”

Kuroo shook his head with a grin. “Oh, drop the formalities Prince Atsumu. Poor Kenma has had nothing but grief from Prince Shoyo ever since you confirmed that story in the papers. But to answer your question, he’s actually already waiting in the gardens.”

He gestured for Atsumu to follow him up the long set of steps and though Atsumu preferred to not bother with such things, he didn’t wish to be perceived as lazy and so followed behind Kuroo.




As they reached the halfway point to the top where the gardens were, Kuroo laughed as he caught a glimpse of a couple freelance journalists trying to hide in between the bushes.

“Prince Atsumu, to your left. They think they’re so slick, don’t they?”

Atsumu smiled, combing his hand through his hair gently, to which he heard a muffled squeal and saw the flash of a camera in his peripheral. “So Kuroo, what’s my schedule like today?”

Kuroo paused for a moment, checking his pocket watch before carrying on up the stairs. “Well, you’ve got about two or three hours before the meeting starts. You can stage a couple things between the two of you and perhaps check out the top of the tower.”

Atsumu sighed as he at last reached the top of the steps. In front of him was a small fountain, and sitting in front of it was a smaller prince.

“Good luck,” Kuroo whispered, giving an overexaggerated wink before sauntering off towards the tower, whistling a tune.

Atsumu stared closely at Hinata. The prince’s curls, framed by a black hat, had been tamed with vigorous brushing, making his hair even fluffier than it usually was. Meanwhile, he was wearing a suit that looked immaculate, save for a small stain of what looked to be eggs. And although his smile was as wide as ever, Atsumu was beginning to realise more and more that he recognised something in Hinata’s mannerisms that he didn’t want to.

_ That bastard’s playing the same game as me. _

_ That’s fine. Guess I’ll play along. _

“Prince Shoyo!” Atsumu called out, waving his arm. “I’ve missed you, my dear.”

Upon hearing his name, Hinata looked up, beaming as he waved back excitedly. “Mister Atsumu! I’m so glad you’re finally here!”

Not wanting the greeting to seem too forced, Atsumu took hold of Hinata’s hands and pulled him close, causing the smaller prince to let out a “fwah!” sound that sounded like a mix between surprise and indignance. “Just follow my lead on this one, carrot top,” whispered Atsumu, their heads close to touching. “There’s a few people watchin’, and they’re gonna love what’s gonna happen next.”

“How rude!” Hinata hissed back, eyes wide. “I’ll have you know I have plenty of experie-”

He was cut off, as Atsumu took him into a kiss square on the lips for a brief second, before he pulled away, lips still parted slightly in shock. He breathed slowly, looking straight back at Atsumu, who had an odd look of satisfaction on his face.

The bushes rustled and flashed, then fell silent.

“Well Prince Shoyo, now that’s been taken care of,” Atsumu finally whispered, “how about we get to some talking?”

As they strolled around the gardens, wary of those lurking, Hinata began to regain his composure once more, delighting at the opportunity to go on a tangent about the intricacies of the Nekoma kingdom, particularly concerning his connections.

“And wow, I don’t know whether you’ve seen any portraits of the Nekoma family, but Lev who’s next in line- gwah! He’s super tall! I wish I had even a few inches of his height…”

Atsumu simply nodded, mind wandering back to the earlier events. Physical affection was a common tactic Atsumu had learned to utilise when there was something he wanted. Although, in his experience, it had been easier to win over women using this method, he didn’t usually think much of turning on his charm with men if they responded well to him. The thrill of being able to make people willingly listen to him under undesirable situations was one he sought after time and time again in his adult years. And yet, in that moment, he had been struck with not only a sense of power from controlling the situation, but also an odd desire to find out more about Hinata. For how cold Hinata appeared to be once he dropped his usual persona, Atsumu suspected that there might be something else at play, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

“Mister Atsumu, are you there?” Hinata asked, a sullen look back on his face. “Or maybe the fragrance of roses has fried your pea brain?”

Atsumu glanced around. It seemed that while he had been thinking, they had wandered over to a quieter part of the gardens which were secluded with rose bushes. “That’s rich comin’ from an idiot such as yerself-”

“Me, the idiot? What the hell were you thinking with that- that  _ kiss  _ right where those fangirls were watching?!”

“Prince Shoyo, surely my public displays of affection weren’t so bad to be on the receiving end of?” Atsumu smirked as he replayed the look of shock on Hinata’s face in his head. 

“That’s- that i-isn’t relevant-”

“Besides, I like to go all out. So, wanna discuss the real reasons why we’ve arranged to meet?”




“You’ve  _ got _ to be kidding me.”

Hinata and Atsumu had sat down on the grass to discuss Atsumu’s business proposals, most of which had included Atsumu’s desires to find out how Karasuno had managed to gain the connections it did and the recurring theme of pocketing sums of honeymoon money to fund castle repairs.

“What do ya mean I could’ve scheduled a meeting with one of yer personal finance managers?!” Atsumu groaned, placing a hand on his head. “The news about ya lookin’ for a suitor of any gender was much easier to find out!”

“I must say, mister Atsumu,” Hinata began, holding back the urge to giggle, “It’s nice to see you being honest for once. I mean, I can see why I’ve always seen Osamu at the front of most of your money decisions.”

He finally let out his laughter upon seeing Atsumu’s dumbfounded face, letting the rare rush of serotonin overcome him. Atsumu’s heart thudded with a rush of adrenalin - although this rush felt more jittery than he was used to.

“Are ya actually happy now?” Atsumu asked, crossing his arms.

Hinata stared straight back with the same eyes he’d had the day Atsumu had lost his temper. “We’re even, so I feel a bit nicer. I’ll show you what the top of the tower that we call the Sky Tree looks like.”

He pointed towards the tower. “The steps are that way. Please start making your way up.”

“Huh? Why can’t ya go first?” Atsumu asked, cocking his head to one side.

Hinata frowned and looked away. “Do you want to see the top of the tower or not?”

“Alright alright,” Atsumu sighed. “I’ll get going.”




Atsumu whistled as he reached the top floor of the tower: a spacious area with a swept stone floor and a single large open window to gaze out of. “Only took nine minutes and ten seconds!” he said, spinning round with a flourish only to step back in surprise as he saw Hinata right behind him.

“Did you think that you could end up that far ahead of me?” Hinata asked, smiling coldly. 

Atsumu rolled his eyes, looking out at the landscape in front of him. The midday sun shone warmly, lighting up the fields and villages further out with a warm glow, and the tower was surprisingly airy, letting in a cool breeze. 

“Mister Atsumu,” Hinata said suddenly, “do you remember the festival from about eight years ago?”

“Hmm? That’s random for ya. But yes, I do. Wasn’t there some big competition where we had ta pair up with a friend of our choice?”

“Whatever, so who did you pair up with?”

Scratching his head, Atsumu raised his eyebrows as a name he hadn’t remembered in a while came to mind. “I think I was with Aran for most of the rounds. Wow, I should send him a letter sometime…”

Hinata didn’t reply, keeping his distance from the open window.

“Come to think of it, I remember one of the younger princes there really making waves in the competition. He had this impressive raw athleticism, and combined with that tall dark haired partner of his-”

A bell sounded out from the ground floor of the tower, indicating it was time to start the official meetings.

“I suppose that’s the bell,” Atsumu sighed, spinning on his heel. “Well, Prince Tangerine, better break a leg.”

He hummed quietly as he disappeared back down the first set of stairs.

_ There are people who still remember Tobio Kageyama? _

Hinata brushed himself down and took one last look at the window, willing himself not to take another step towards it, before silently following Atsumu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> even though I'm a little slow on the chapter updates, I am still carrying on with this story! 
> 
> what do you think Hinata's relationship with Kageyama is?


	5. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Atsumu's newest display of affection has made it out to the papers just as planned. Meanwhile, during Osamu's advised break, Atsumu rediscovers something...

“Allllright Tsumu!” Osamu called out, smiling.

Atsumu grinned, exchanging a hi five with Osamu as he stepped out of the carriage.

“What did I tell ya, Samu? I told ya I could handle this!”

The meetings had taken longer than anticipated and so by the time Atsumu had returned to the Inarizaki kingdom, the sky had already turned dark with the deep black of midnight. Only the twinkling stars and a fair amount of candlelight lit up the area that the twins stood in.

“Negotiations went well then?” Osamu asked, cocking his head.

“Fantastically! If all goes well with this… situation… will net us greater links to the Nekoma kingdom as well as the Karasuno kingdom in the long term.”

As they made their way into the dimly lit castle, Osamu peered at Atsumu’s smug face and chuckled. “Ya did something with prince Shoyo, huh? You’ve got that “I just hooked up” look in yer eyes.”

“Samu!” Atsumu protested. “I’d have to be insane or blackout drunk before I’d even consider it!”

He cleared his throat before carrying on. “But I suppose you’ll find out in the papers tomorrow anyways. What I  _ did _ do is give him one of my signature kisses.”

He ran his hand through hair dramatically to accentuate this moment, causing Osamu to facepalm and nearly walk into a decorative suit of armour in the castle corridors.

“Anyways, ya should’ve seen his face afterwards! He looked like he was about to faint, or punch me, or both!”

“Damn, he didn’t fall in love with ya like those girls did before ya called ‘em pigs?” Osamu mused sarcastically, mimicking Atsumu’s death stare as they made their way up a staircase.

“Not even a man like me could sway that stubborn tangerine with just one embrace,” Atsumu sighed. Murmuring, he added, “Maybe another time.”

“There’s gonna be another time?” Osamu piped up.

Atsumu made a small noise of surprise, feeling his cheeks heat up. “W-well, if I  _ am _ forced to display affection for publicity reasons, then I’ll do my best to show that irritating prince a taste he won’t forget.”

“Mmhmm,” Osamu replied, rubbing his tired eyes. “Have fun with the mess you started.”

“Whatever Samu, I’m going to sleep,” Atsumu huffed, pushing open his bedroom door with both hands. “Have a good night.”

Upon seeing the door to his room swing shut, Atsumu made a finger gun to his mirror and smirked, loosening his tie and unbuttoning his shirt.  _ What a great day of negotiations,  _ he thought to himself as he tossed the shirt onto the bed.

_ Even if half of my proposals had only gone through thanks to Shoyo. _

Atsumu yawned as he changed into some nightwear. Whether he liked it or not, he had to admit that Hinata had a natural way of charming those around him to get his way, and that had been very apparent in the afternoon. Every time Atsumu had said something that, in retrospect, was out of line or outlandish, Hinata had managed to cover for him efficiently, all whilst keeping a smile on his face. However, Atsumu would have had to be extremely dense to not notice Hinata’s brief looks of pure irritation directed at him towards the end of the meeting.

“Thinking back on it, that might’ve been why he was escorted out so quickly after it ended,” Atsumu said out loud.

He immediately hit himself in the head with a pillow, groaning quietly. “I’m not gonna be able to get any shuteye if I keep thinkin’ about things too much,” he mumbled, blowing out the candle on the side of his bed.




“Hajime, be a dear and fetch me that loaf of milk bread and a copy of the papers.”

Oikawa peered into his mirror, applying a small amount of natural oils to his face as his servant brought him his daily essentials.

“We’ve been having issues with the supplier’s prices recently, so this edition is a few days old.”

“Is that so…?” Oikawa opened a drawer near him filled with documents and took the first one from the top out. “Ah that’s right, that last party put us a  _ little  _ over the monthly budget.”

“Prince Tooru, is ten thousand really a little?” Iwaizumi scolded, looking over Oikawa’s shoulder.

“The fees for the orchestra to play overnight were necessary! Anyways, let’s take a look at this…”

Oikawa let out a low whistle upon seeing the front pages. “Looks like Prince Atsumu Miya strikes again.”

“God, look at the look in his eyes,” Iwaizumi remarked, pointing to a close up picture of the kiss. “Looks like you when you decide to chat up girls for fun.”

“Hajime, I’m insulted!” Oikawa gasped, placing a hand on his chest delicately. “If I were to stage affection so obviously, I’d be much more careful with their face. He’s got Shoyo’s shoulders in a rather tight grip there.”

Iwaizumi chuckled. “Yeah, but usually the people you’re kissing are actually  _ willing  _ to be with you.”

Oikawa nodded, flipping through the pages before frowning at a gossip column that was implying that the prince of the Aoba Johsai kingdom could be having a secret affair. “Y’know, even though it’s all staged, I do envy Atsumu and Hinata having the ability to be so open with all this.”

Iwaizumi gave him a wry smile. He was all too familiar with the comments from those higher up than him telling him that he should’ve left the kingdom before Oikawa became too attached, that it was a mistake for the heir who was very popular amongst the ladies of the kingdom to be with another man, especially one of such a significantly lower status. 

“Sometimes life can be kind, and other times it can be cruel,” Iwaizumi said quietly, brushing through the prince’s hair with his fingers.




The days three weeks after the first leaked picture of Atsumu and Hinata brought unusually warm afternoons, an increase in the amount of ice cream purchased, and cries of frustration from within the Inarizaki castle walls.

“Why the fuck did no one stop me from quitting piano lessons at 16?!”

Atsumu slammed his hands on the keys of the grand piano as Osamu looked on half sympathetically.

“Tsumu, you’re the one who decided to pick such a difficult piece for Prince Shoyo’s upcoming event,” Osamu sighed, taking a sip of water. “Besides, you’ve only got a page left to learn.”

“This won’t do,” Atsumu groaned, taking a gulp of water from the glass placed on the floor next to the piano stool. “This has gotta be perfect so I can establish that my etiquette is nothin’ short of perfect.”

“Well, I’m gonna ask for some more strawberries. You can have fun practicing for tomorrow.”

Osamu had been both amused and confused over how much spite and the desire to succeed could cause Atsumu to achieve things most could only dream of. The particular piece Atsumu had picked out, Liebestraum, contained an endless stream of complicated chords and fast descending chromatic notes towards the middle, not to mention the fact that he had refused to practice properly in years. And despite all that, he was already on his way to finishing the piece after just over two weeks worth of tireless practice.

Carrying a large bowl of freshly washed strawberries back from the kitchen, Osamu looked over at Atsumu to see him rereading Hinata’s letter, a fiery look of determination in his eyes.

“You should write back to him,” Osamu remarked, munching on the end of a strawberry.

“Huh? Why?”

“You seem to really be enjoying reading that, Tsumu.”

“It’s just for motivation to practice,” Atsumu insisted.   


“What are ya, a masochist?” Osamu raised an eyebrow, handing him the bowl of strawberries.

“Am not!” he huffed, stuffing a handful of strawberries into his mouth. “I’m just getting tired.”

“Then take a break, you idiot. You’ll be fine tomorrow.”

Osamu walked out of the dining room where the grand piano was situated and hid behind a corner. He then watched with amusement as Atsumu looked around for a few minutes, before taking the bowl of strawberries and leaving the room.




_...in addition to that, you can go fuck yourself for that comment about my hair, you elitist piece of shit. It’s not my fault that you don’t have any creativity. _

_ -Even less sincerely yours, Atsumu _

Atsumu read over his letter with a smug look in his eyes _ ,  _ admiring what he considered to be witty and deserving remarks towards Hinata. He folded the letter carefully and placed it in an envelope. Then, having already heated some black wax with a candle, he dripped the wax onto the paper before taking hold of a particularly intricate stamper and sealing the envelope.

“Oh, that reminds me,” he said out loud to himself. “Now, what was Aran’s address again...?”

He opened his closet and headed to the back, searching for a very specific crate on the top shelf.

“Ah ha!”

The crate stuck out amongst Atsumu’s more expensive decor, the twins having made it together for fun. Rifling through the numerous old trinkets and bits of child-sized clothes and jewellery, he finally pulled out a letter addressed from Aran.

“Addressed to the more rural region of the kingdom, huh? I wonder if he still lives there…”

He took out the letter from the envelope and unfolded it, smiling at the slightly less refined handwriting as he started to read through it.

_ To Atsumu and Osamu, _

_ That was a lot of fun today! Where I’m from, the festivals are so different from this country. It’s a shame we didn’t win the big tournament at the end, though. Who would’ve thought that Atsumu would trip on his face and that Osamu would get so outpaced during that relay? _

Atsumu laughed. It had been a while since the events of his teenage years had even crossed his mind, but thinking back on it, he missed them a little.

_ But of course, I’ve gotta give my respects to the Karasuno duo. With their awesome teamwork, even me and Atsumu didn’t stand a chance. _

“Karasuno duo?” Atsumu questioned out loud.  _ He couldn’t possibly mean... _

_...and here’s where we go onto the bad news. My parents want us to move back for a couple years to sort out some sort of financial troubles, so unfortunately, I won’t be able to write as often. So that’s why I’d like you to have this picture I’ve stuck onto the back of this letter. We took it using that brand new camera, remember? My mother’s never really used one, so she hopes that the picture looks alright. _

_ All the best, Aran _

Atsumu turned over the letter and peered at the photo. It was a simple group photo of six people, all of whom appeared to be flushed from the race. On the far left was Atsumu and Osamu, their hair longer and in the same style. Moving towards the right, there was Aran, his arm slung around a slightly startled Kita. And finally on the far right was an enthusiastic boy jumping in the air and his much taller, dark haired partner staring into the camera with a neutral expression.

“No way…” Atsumu murmured, looking closer at the photo. “So the freak duo I remember was actually…?”

He turned over the photo and read through the names listed on it:

_ Atsumu _

_ Osamu _

_ Aran _

_ Shinsuke _

_ Shoyo _

_ Tobio _

“I see,” he said quietly, folding the letter back up. “So that’s why he seemed so familiar when we first started seein' each other at those business events…”

He replaced the envelope and placed the crate back on the shelf with a thud. “Time to get back to practicing then,” he said to himself cheerily. 

Sat at the piano, Atsumu sighed as he turned the pages to the final section of the piece. However, as much as he tried to move on from it, his mind was beginning to turn to Hinata once again.

_ What the hell had happened to him over the years? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i had a bunch of inspiration this week! not much romance-wise this time, but i'm saving that for the next couple of chapters :)


	6. Love's Sorrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata's evening party at his castle takes a few turns neither of them could have expected when Atsumu decides to play a certain piece

_Pitter, patter_

Atsumu awoke drowsily upon hearing the gentle tapping of rain on the roof of the carriage. “Sir Rintarou…” he murmured, “...where am I?”

Suna chuckled softly, snapping the reins in his hands. “On the way to Prince Shoyo’s castle, perhaps?”

Atsumu sat up straight, rubbing his eyes. “Shit, course I am!”

“You weren’t practicing your piece all night last night, were you…?”

“And what if I was?” Atsumu crossed his arms. “Anyways, I hope there’s wine this evening. Even after that all nighter, I still couldn’t quite get the hang of that section near the end…”

“You should be grateful, Atsumu,” Suna replied bluntly, brushing his damp hair out of his face with one hand. “You wouldn’t have been allowed back within a kilometer of the castle walls under regular circumstances.”

“Ugh, whatever. How far are we now?”

Suna squinted his eyes and looked ahead. “We’re just a few minutes from reaching the bottom of the hill to the castle.”

“Don’t tell me I have to-”

“Well, I _was_ going to let the horses rest and have you use the stairs, but with the weather as it is…” 

Suna looked up at the increasingly gunmetal skies. A flash of light in the distance followed by the loud rumbling of thunder forced him to turn his attention to calming the startled horses.




“Prince Atsumu of the Inarizaki Kingdom?”

A guard with a suspiciously familiar voice stood outside of the carriage, holding an umbrella.

“That would be me,” Atsumu replied, opening the door to the carriage himself. 

“Have a good night, Atsumu,” Suna called out tiredly, stroking the mane of one of the horses.

As Atsumu followed him into the warm candle lit corridors, he realised very quickly why this guard seemed familiar. 

“So, Sir Kei, we meet once again,” he said sheepishly.

“Indeed we do,” he replied, his expression not wavering. “I’ve been hearing a lot about you recently, and most of it is made up of less positive words.”

A silence filled the air around them as they made their way to a much larger door that was adorned with gold engravings.

“Alright, here’s the ballroom.” Tsukishima reached into his pockets for a ring of keys. “Once you’re in there, present yourself as best as you can. Prince Shoyo has made this a closed invitation event, but there are some important business figures here and any misconduct may sway their opinions of you towards less prosperous directions.”

Atsumu smirked. “Of course. I shall be a fantastic example, especially at the… music event…”

His words trailed off, his face going pale as he realised he had forgotten his sheet music.

“What’s the name of the piece you were meaning to play, Prince Atsumu?”

“Liebestraum… by Liszt…” he replied quietly, mentally kicking himself for having been so disorganised in this particular area.

“Oh, not a problem. We have a spare copy of that piece, if you require it.”

“That would be nice, yes.” Atsumu scratched the back of his head, too shaken by embarrassment to complain about the knight’s brazenly smug face.

“Understood. You can go in now,” Tsukishima said, pushing open the door with both hands. “I’ll have the sheets ready for when the music event starts.”

The large ballroom was lit up with a large crystal chandelier, but other than that, the space was decorated with more of a minimalist theme in mind, with black tables and chairs provided around the edges of the room to leave space on the floor for small talk and dancing. A stage had been set up at the back of the room with various stands and musical instruments, and the grand piano was situated just at the side 

_Before I start getting too carried away with the drinks, I’ve got to find Prince Shoyo,_ Atsumu thought to himself, scanning the room determinedly. And if his intuition was correct, Hinata would be already helping himself to a drink _just over by the tables-_

“Fwaa! Mister Atsumu!”

Hinata reached his arm up to slap Atsumu on the shoulder with just enough force to make him cough in surprise.

_Hinata had already worked out where Atsumu was._

“A-ah, there you are Shoyo,” Atsumu replied. “Say, where can I get a drink?”

Hinata downed the glass of wine in his left hand before pointing to a table at the back of the room. “Just ask Ennoshita for a glass! But make sure to leave some for me!”

Just before Atsumu was out of earshot, he heard Hinata faintly add, “God, could you be any more rude?”

Atsumu sighed, obtaining the tall wine glass and pouring in some white wine until the glass was half full. _Can’t have myself messing up this piece due to sloppy movements,_ he decided, letting a few sips burn down the back of his throat.

He took a moment to observe Hinata from a distance. He was wearing a bright orange bowtie this time, and his black suit had not a single trace of eggs. In normal circumstances, it definitely wouldn’t be Atsumu’s outfit of choice, but when paired with Hinata’s demeanor, it looked almost endearing. As Hinata talked to a businessman, Atsumu noted how he casually shifted his weight to one leg as opposed to his usual straight stance, but that his eyes were somehow more vacant than they usually were.

“Yahoo, looks like I found Prince Troublemaker over here.”

Atsumu turned to his right to see Oikawa and his servant, both dressed up in cleanly pressed suits for the occasion.

“Prince Tooru, I didn’t realise you were invited,” Atsumu said, switching to his default smirk. Turning to the servant, he began, “And you’re Haji-”

“Please refer to me as Iwaizumi,” he interjected, glaring at Oikawa.

“Now now Hajime, Prince Atsumu may be a pain sometimes, but he doesn’t look down on you. Isn’t that right?”

“H-hey, Prince Tooru, this isn’t a completely private venue. What if he leaks something-”

“Prince Atsumu wouldn’t do that,” Oikawa said confidently. Whispering into Atsumu’s ear, Oikawa continued, “ _especially not when he’s the one staring at the person he supposedly hates like that.”_

Atsumu nearly choked on his sip of wine. “Starin’? I’m not staring! I’m merely observing.”

Oikawa snorted, causing Iwaizumi to grip his arm a little harder. “Yeah, okay. Because my first move when seeing someone I don’t like at a party is to gaze at him from afar.”

“That’s _not_ what I was doing-”

They were interrupted by the call to be quiet by the guards, as Hinata had something to announce.

“Everyone, thank you so much for attending this evening!” Hinata announced from the stage. “We will now start the music event, starting with the Karasuno orchestra.”

“Well, see you later,” Oikawa called out, waving as he was urged away by Iwaizumi towards the back of the room.




The Karasuno orchestra, while not as refined as the one Oikawa had managed to hire, was still enjoyable to listen to. Hinata, surprisingly, was adept at fitting in with the clarinet section, although he only joined in for the first couple pieces before sitting down besides Oikawa in the front row. As the violin strings died away, Atsumu rose from his seat and walked over to the polished piano, where Tsukishima was waiting with a copy of Liebestraum, the pages slightly faded and worn.

Hinata sat in his chair, arms crossed. He’d forgotten to give Atsumu notice on the music event until a couple weeks ago, so he wasn’t expecting a lot from this performance. In fact, he was almost looking forward to seeing Atsumu lose his confident demeanor once again - this time, without it being at the expense of his dignity as well.

As the room fell silent, Tsukishima announced what piece Atsumu was going to play. Looking over to Hinata, Atsumu grinned upon seeing his face. _I’m gonna totally blow yer mind,_ he thought to himself decisively.

He took a small breath before his fingers touched the keys and he began to play the first notes.

\--

_“Hey hey, Kageyama! Whatcha playing there?”_

_Tobio Kageyama stopped playing midway through a section, looking up at Hinata with a frown. “Idiot, you distracted me.”_

_Hinata ignored his protests, leaning over his shoulder to get a closer look at what Kageyama was playing. “Hmm, I see,” Hinata said thoughtfully, peering at the music sheets. “So this bit is supposed to go FWOOSH, and this bit- wow, that bit’s super hard!”_

_“Yes, and it’s going to be harder if you keep distracting me before my hour of using your piano is up.”_

_Hinata pouted. “C’mon Kageyama, I can always beg them to give you a little extra time later! I want to go outside with you.”_

_Kageyama groaned, flipping back to the first page. “Fine. Just let me go through this once more…”_

_Hinata beamed. “Lie-bes-traum, huh? What does that mean?”_

_“I believe it means “love dream” in German.”_

_“Love dream? Does that mean a dream about meat buns?”_

_“Not that kind of love, idiot. Like the sappy stuff you read in those poems.”_

_Hinata thought for a moment, putting his hand on his chin, before saying, “Hey Kageyama, do you think we’ll find that kind of love?”_

_Kageyama scoffed, smiling. “You will, of course. You’ve already had a few love letters from the girls in the kingdom.”_

_“But they were all so… boring. Can’t I just hang out with you instead of getting married?”_

_“In your dreams, Hinata,” Kageyama sighed, starting to play the piece once again._

**_You’ve got more important people to worry about than the son of your family’s servants,_** _he thought to himself, shaking his dark head._

\--

Atsumu’s heart raced as he played the final chords of the piece, staring down at the piano with an intense expression. _He’d actually managed to do it._ He’d actually managed to play through the whole thing without a single mistake.

He stood up from the stool of the piano and bowed politely as the room clapped. Satisfied with his performance, he started to walk over to his seat when he locked eyes with Hinata for just a second. His cheeks were now flushed from a good few drinks and his wide brown eyes were… watery?

Oikawa was the final performance of the night to start off the ballroom dancing before the orchestra would take over again. He looked worriedly at Hinata, before announcing his violin piece of choice - Love’s Sorrow by Kreisler.

He gave a small nod to the assistant pianist - a kind looking man with floppy grey hair and a mole under his eye - before raising his bow and beginning to play.




Ironically enough, by the end of the bittersweet performance, Hinata had managed to calm down, though he was no less drunk. He now stood at the edge of the room, doing his best to hide that his obviously intoxicated state was making it difficult for him to not stagger.

_That idiot,_ Atsumu sighed to himself. _It’d just be a hazard to leave him there like that._

He strided over to where Hinata was and reached out a hand. “Care to dance, my dear?”

Instead of the usual insult or eye roll, Hinata simply looked up at him and nodded.

The orchestra started to play a slow waltz, and so Atsumu led Hinata into a dance, taking care to guide him away from his feet. However, Hinata’s low tolerance to alcohol was becoming very apparent, and despite Atsumu’s best efforts, it was taking all his strength to keep the unusually relaxed Hinata on his feet as they moved across.

“Good grief you idiot, at least make an effort to move,” Atsumu muttered, pulling Hinata’s arm a little closer to his.

Hinata gazed up at Atsumu with a look of bliss. “You’re… warm…” he mumbled, his hands feeling for Atsumu’s face.

“Hey, what are ya up to this time-”

Before Atsumu could register what was going to happen next, Hinata’s lips had already met his. His heart thudded in a way he wasn’t accustomed to, and while he would normally be mad at the current situation, he didn’t care. The sensation of his soft lips against his was addicting. The way Hinata was gripping his neck was addicting.

_He_ was addicting.

Hinata was the first to pull away, eyes sparkling as he looked straight into Atsumu’s golden irises. His smile stretched across his face, fingers tracing the back of Atsumu’s neck slowly

“Ya really are going insane, aren'tcha?”

His eyes opened a little wider, his smile fading a little. “You’re... not Kageyama... are you...?”

Atsumu frowned, bringing Hinata’s drooping figure towards a few empty chairs. “Kage- when did I ever claim to be Tobio?”

But Hinata had already begun to drift off into sleep, his expression relaxing and his head lolling sideways onto Atsumu’s lap.

Sighing gently, Atsumu set Hinata’s head down onto the adjacent chair and headed to the nearest knight.

“How can I help you, Prince Atsumu?” Ennoshita asked, clicking his heels together.

“Sir Chikara, what do I do about Prince Shoyo? He’s… well…”

“Passed out on the chairs?” he guessed.

“That would be the case, yes.”

Ennoshita smiled as he saw the prince, who had now curled up into a foetal position. “Yeah, he tends to have a habit of overestimating his limits a little.”

“A little?”

Ennoshita chuckled. “Well, maybe more than a little. He’ll need carrying to bed, but the knights are currently busy at their posts and-”

“It’s fine,” Atsumu reassured him, patting Hinata’s fluffy hair. “Just tell me some directions.”

Following the strict directions given by Ennoshita, Atsumu made the final turn to the right whilst carrying the sleeping Hinata towards his bedroom, which was secured with a lock. 

“Now what am I gonna do?” 

Hinata’s eyes opened up a crack, mumbling. “Key’s… in my pocket…”

“Thanks, Prince Tangerine,” he said sardonically, finding the key and turning it in the lock.

He pushed the door open with his foot and headed inside. The room was pitch black now; Atsumu assumed it was close to 11pm by now. He relied on his foot hitting the post of the bed and the dim light of the corridors to alert him where he was, and to reassure him that the thud he heard when setting the prince down was him hitting the mattress and not the hard wooden floor. “Twenty four and still being carried to bed huh?” Atsumu mused to himself, feeling his way over to the other side of the bed and sitting down. “What a liability.”

The king-size bed was surprisingly soft, and Atsumu’s own lack of sleep was only contributing to the yawns that started to leave his mouth. “Well, it couldn’t hurt to rest my head for just a second…” he said, stretching out his arms and lying down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahh it was satisfying writing the kiss! i'm really looking forward to carrying this on for another few chapters  
> if you want to listen to the two pieces of classical music featured in this chapter, the links are here:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBOa-2b4uQQ&ab_channel=Rousseau  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC9mS_jfdtE&ab_channel=AceManijak  
> thank you for reading!


	7. Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night after Atsumu accidentally falls asleep in Hinata's bed, he comes across a certain bubbly sibling who's just as curious as Atsumu as to what's going on with her brother

_“Today’s finally the day, Hinata.”_

_Kageyama’s leather bag clinked with his belongings as he slung it over his shoulder. He looked towards the little carriage waiting for him, then back at Hinata with a frown. “What’s wrong?”_

_Hinata sighed. “It’s… it’s just…”_

_“Just what?”_

_He clenched his fists in frustration. “The summer’s gone by too quickly, and it’s going to be so much quieter in the castle without you!”_

_“It’ll only be for a couple years while I go and train as an apprentice,” Kageyama said, fiddling with the clasp of his bag. “Plus, I could introduce you to the guy I’m training alongside. He’s supposed to be very cool and collected.”_

_Hinata stayed quiet, leaning against the dusty archway of the castle’s main entrance._

_“C’mon, I thought that was your type,” Kageyama muttered, looking uneasy._

_“Prince Shoyo, please make your goodbyes quick, or it’ll be late in the Fukurodani kingdom by the time Kageyama arrives,” the knight called out._

_“W-well, promise me you’ll come back as the greatest pianist ever!” Hinata’s voice became wobbly as he watched Kageyama enter the carriage._

_“Who do you think I am, idiot?” Kageyama called out. “Just wait, and I’ll have become someone even a prince could be proud of.”_

_Hinata smiled, his vision blurring. “Goodbye, Kageyama!” he shouted as he heard the horses clop away down the hill._

_“I’ll see you soon, Hinata.”_

\--

“Mornin’ sleepyhead.”

Hinata squinted his tired eyes, feeling the aftereffects of the alcohol pound at his head as he tried to make sense of who was speaking to him right as he was waking up. The voice was deep, sounded nothing like either Ennoshita or Tsukishima, and had an all too familiar sounding accent to it…

“Mister… Atsumu?”

As he opened his eyes a little wider, Atsumu began to become more focused in his field of vision. His uncombed hair stuck up in odd angles, and his suit had become creased from being slept in, but he was the same old Atsumu in every other respect.

“D’ya want some water?” he asked with a shit-eating grin. “I had half of the glass on that bedside table, but you can have the rest.”

Suddenly, Atsumu felt a stinging sensation on his cheek as he was slapped with a force he hadn’t felt since the last time he had brought a girl into Osamu’s bedroom.

“What-what the hell are _you_ doing here in _my_ room?!”

“I guess I got tired and fell asleep,” Atsumu shrugged, handing Hinata a glass of water which he proceeded to down in less than a second.

Placing the glass back onto the bedside table with a thud, Hinata frantically looked down at himself, then at Atsumu, who had begun to walk towards his dressing table, hand rubbing the side of his face. “Last night- did we… you know…”

“Have sex?” Atsumu laughed, combing his side parting back into place with his fingers. “I’m not _that_ desperate to hook up with a prince who collapses after a few glasses of wine.”

Hinata sat up in his bed, face turning crimson. “Ugh… So what little I remember happening last night was just a dream…”

Atsumu gulped. “Well, if you’re talkin’ about what happened when ya were damn near close to passin’ out on the ballroom floor…”

He took a second to process what Atsumu was saying before he let out a noise of frustration, hands tearing at his hair. “I can’t believe this! The second time I’ve ever kissed a guy… and it has to be with an asshole like you…”

“I was good fer an asshole though-”

“I was drunk…!”

“And _I’m_ the one who got mistaken fer Tobio, thank ya very much.”

The mention of Kageyama’s name made Hinata fall silent as he walked over to his dressing table and sat down. 

Atsumu handed Hinata the comb from the dressing table absentmindedly, the memories of what had happened the previous night fleeting through his mind as he observed how Hinata’s hair shone even brighter in the sunlight peeking through the curtains. _It wasn’t as if it meant anything though,_ he reassured himself. _Just a moment fueled on adrenaline and body heat._

_That’s all it was, obviously._

“Say, Mister Atsumu…” he began, combing through his hair carefully.

“Mm?”

“Kageyama was born to servants. Why do you refer to him with his first name?”

“He was? Well, it doesn’t matter to me.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“If Tobio’s abilities seemed to be lower or higher than mine, I’d have addressed him accordingly as I do with my knights and the other royalty I know. It never occurred to me in his mannerisms that he was any different from the rest of the kids at that festival.”

Hinata huffed, placing his elbow on top of the dressing table and resting his heavy head to the side. “You’re so blunt. It really annoys me.”

“And you’re not, sunshine?” Atsumu shot back mockingly.

“Just get out of my room so I can get dressed,” he groaned, rubbing his temples.

“What, I don’t get a free show?”

“I’ll have Sir Tsukki throw you out.”

“Fine, fine, I’ll leave.”

As Atsumu left, letting the door close with a thud behind him, Hinata exhaled, finally aware as to how fast his heart had been racing.

“Am I… ill?” he murmured to himself, staring into the mirror. His cheeks were flushed again, and his mind that was normally overcome with a sense of nothingness was now a beehive of activity, activity involving the same few thoughts, activity involving-

"Pull yourself together," he whispered. But his mind refused to stop asking:

_Why is this feeling weird, yet familiar?_

_Why is my mind replaying that blurry night over and over again?_




Atsumu had barely made it down what he had hoped was the right corridor before his attention was caught by a small echoing voice.

“Hey there, Mister!”

He turned around, half expecting a toddler to await him. Instead, a girl slightly shorter than Hinata with blazing orange hair tied into a high ponytail stood before him, grinning. She wore a pink dress with a saffron bow that bounced every time she jumped about excitedly as she inspected Atsumu with curiosity.

“Who’re you?” 

“Your eyebrows are funny,” she remarked lightheartedly, pointing up at his face. “You look very different from the girl I saw in his room last year.”

“Hey, answer the question!”

She giggled, covering her mouth daintily. “Sorry, Mister! My name’s Natsu Hinata.”

“Natsu Hinata? Wait, then that must mean-”

“Yep, I’m Shoyo’s brother and second in line to the Karasuno throne in case he kicks the bucket.”

Atsumu nodded slowly, surprised that the girl appeared to be a lot more honest than her brother. “So, how should I address you?”

“Just call me Natsu,” she replied, waving her hand away. “I mean, I don’t really like people addressing me as a princess.”

“Alright then, Natsu. You can call me Atsumu.”

“Oh, I already knew _your_ name. Shoyo talks about you lots and lots and although he tries to hide it, I can tell you give him a ton of grief.”

She proceeded to do an impression of Hinata by running around in a circle and crying out in a high pitched voice, which elicited a laugh from Atsumu. 

After she had caught her breath, she continued, “Shoyo’s the best brother I could ask for, but… well... he’s not been the same for a while now.”

“Not been the same…?”

“He tries to act the same as he normally does in public when he talks to me, but I’m not stupid. And I’m good at hiding. I even managed to hear a little bit about what you two were talking about-”

“Hey, just so ya know, what happened last night was just the alcohol talkin’.”

“Heehee, they say that drunk actions represent sober thoughts. But I’ll take your word for it, since I’m not old enough to drink yet.”

“Wait, how old _are_ ya? Twelve?”

“I’m nearly sixteen!” she exclaimed, pouting. “Anyways, today’s actually been a better morning for him, which is saying something. But no-one will tell me what’s wrong- I was and apparently still am “too young” to hear that story, whatever that’s supposed to mean. Curse that Saltyshi-”

“Princess Natsu, what are you doing outside of your room?”

She jumped, turning around to see the imposing figure of Tsukishima looming above her. “Well, uhm, you see-”

“She was just about to show me the way back to the main entrance,” Atsumu replied, smirking at Tsukishima’s exhausted expression. “Isn’t that right, Natsu?”

“Totally right, mister! Now, if you’ll excuse us Sir Tsukki, we’ll be on our way…”

“One more thing before you go please, Princess Natsu. Do you happen to know where a certain necklace of your mother’s has disappeared to?” He looked pointedly at Natsu’s collarbones, where an understated necklace with a single black gemstone hung from her neck.

“Uhm, no idea what you’re referring to, Sir Tsukki,” Natsu said hastily, stumbling away and dragging Atsumu’s long arm in tow. “I’ll see you later!”

“Natsu, that necklace-” Atsumu said in between breaths as they navigated the now lighter halls of the castle. “Isn’t that a Karasuno heirloom worth at least a thousand pieces of gold? Should you really be wearing that so freely?”

She rolled her eyes, darting back and forth between the corridors. “Well, the only person who’d really be too mad would be the queen. And why should I care about her?”

“That’s your mother-”

“My mother nearly went through with disowning my brother when she found out he liked boys,” Natsu said firmly. “She’s holding out on the hope that he’ll find a girl, but I’m not respecting someone who can’t accept who my brother really is.”




“Tsumu, apologize to Sir Rintarou.”

Back at the Inarizaki kingdom, Atsumu had been called to the stables by his brother where Suna was standing apathetically.

“Huh?! Ya can’t tell me what to do, I’m older than ya!”

“Does it look like I care? My favourite horse has fallen ill because she had to go out in that pouring rain.”

“Seriously? Who cares about that pudgy little-”

“Say another word about my horse and I’m sellin’ Inarizaki Jr-”

“ _Fine_ ,” he huffed, stamping over to Suna. “Sir Rintarou, I’m very very sorry fer accidentally passin’ out on Prince Shoyo’s bed when I was sleep deprived and forcing ya to make a pointless journey with the horses in the rain.”

“Cool, apology accepted,” Suna replied blankly.

“Damn Tsumu, that’s the worst fake apology I’ve heard ya made in a while.”

“Shut yer trap Samu! You’re not the one having to actually be at these events!”

“If you’re so bothered by them, why don’tcha just arrange a fake break up? A month has already passed, after all.”

“That’s- I-” 

Atsumu hadn’t even considered the idea of breaking off whatever relationship he had with Hinata. He’d been so focused on trying to outcompete the stubborn prince, to the point that he’d sacrificed his sleep schedule.

“Well, I can’t break things off yet,” Atsumu finally said, sighing. “I still don’t know what’s changed in him since eight years ago.”

“Shit, Tsumu being interested in a person for something other than their looks? That’s a first.”

“Whatever Samu. I just don’t get what could’ve happened. The Karasuno kingdom is known as one of the most peaceful kingdoms in the land.”

Osamu scoffed. “You’re really gonna believe the reports just like that? A lot of more unacceptable business in kingdoms gets swept under the rug or spun to be more mild - that’s one of the first things we learned when we were taught about politics.”

“So, how do I find out what really happened?”

He smiled. “I might know a friend who can help.”


	8. Piano Lessons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The search for the Karasuno kingdom's history brings the Miya twins to the Fukurodani archives where the head librarian, Keiji Akaashi, works.

The overwhelming summer heat had finally begun to give way to more mild temperatures with a light breeze as the Miya twins made their way through a field of swaying daisies towards the Fukurodani kingdom. As they got closer to the main town, home of the largest library in the land, Atsumu counted the increasing number of brass owl statues with amusement.

“Eighteen… nineteen - ooh that one’s got some cool eyebrows!- ...twenty-”

He was interrupted by a rough jolt to the carriage that nearly sent him tumbling into Osamu, who was sitting next to him. 

“Hey, Sir Michinari, watch it! You’re gonna get us killed at this rate!”

“Tsumu, don’t be so harsh on him,” Osamu chided, pushing him away before continuing to fiddle with a wrapped present.

“No no, that’s my bad,” Akagi called out, patting the head of one of the horses. “I know I don’t compare to Sir Rintarou in terms of being a coach, but I’ll do my best to make sure that you two reach the Fukurodani kingdom in one piece.”

“Anyways, Tsumu, what did ya expect would happen when Sir Rintarou had to make some extra trips in the rain for a  _ certain someone _ ? Of course he was going to catch a cold!”

“You don’t have to keep telling me that,” he protested, crossing his arms. “I’ll have the chefs bring him some jelly once we get back to the castle.”

“Make sure it’s strawberry - that’s the best flavour.”

“No way, Samu. Cherry’s definitely better.”

He shifted back over to the window, pulling out an unopened letter from Hinata that he had received the day before. The envelope was sealed with another glossy Karasuno seal and the cursive, while less angry than before, was still in Hinata’s signature messy handwriting. It seemed to start off amiably -  _ more  _ amiably, in fact, than the last one - but Atsumu’s hopes of gaining an ego boost were dashed out of the window when Hinata proceeded to state every single reason why Atsumu was a terrible lover. From his aggressive style to, as he put it, “the way your stupid monkey brain only thinks about sex”, Hinata punctuated each point with a full stop that nearly dug through the paper with how forceful they were.

At the end, it read, 

_ As least yours as words can allow, Shoyo. _

_ P.S. I think I’m coming down with a fever. Please do not attempt to contact me for a week, or else I’ll feel like screaming at you. _

Atsumu rolled his eyes, shoving the letter in his pocket. “Samu, do I really have a monkey brain that only cares about sex?”

“What, did Prince Shoyo write that about ya?” 

“Yes he did, Samu!”

Osamu chuckled, leaning back into the cushioned seating. “I mean, he’s not exactly wrong. How many people had ya seen in the months before ya decided to go after Prince Shoyo?”

Atsumu counted carefully on his fingers. “Seven women… and three or four men…”

“Point proven.”

“Alright, so maybe I  _ am _ slightly more experienced than the average person. But that doesn’t mean I’m a terrible lover! And here I was thinkin’ I’d managed to win him over a little…”

Osamu simply nodded, turning his attention back towards the present in his hands.

“Who’s that for Samu?” Atsumu asked, scratching his head.

“Actually, it’s for the man we’ll be meetin’ at the library. I always send him a batch of the Inarizaki kingdom’s official treats, and I thought it’d be nice if I-”

“Hey hey hey! Keiji, it looks like they’ve arrived!”

An unmistakable yell could be heard from outside of the carriage as they finally stopped in front of an enormous stone building. 

“That’ll be Prince Kotarou,” Atsumu remarked, as the door to the carriage was opened.

Bokuto shifted his weight from one foot to the other, buzzing with excitement as he shook the hands of the Miya twins with vigour. “I’m glad to meet you both! Did you like the journey?”

Atsumu was about to comment on the rough ride, when Osamu elbowed him in the rib sharply. 

“It was wonderful,” Atsumu replied with a smile.

“Great! Uh, so you’re here because… because…” Bokuto furrowed his silver eyebrows in frustration.

“Prince Kotarou, they’re here to look at the archives.”

A slimmer figure emerged from behind the prince’s sturdy frame. He stood besides Bokuto politely, adjusting his large square glasses.

“Keiji, there you are! Atsumu, Osamu, this is the head librarian and all around awesome guy who’ll be showing you around today.”

“Please call me Akaashi,” he sighed, shaking their hands briefly. “And Prince Kotarou, you need to remember to address people with their proper titles.”

“But Keiji, it’s so boring doing that to everyone! Some people deserve more creativity than titles could ever bring to their names.”

He leaned forward to look at Atsumu, hand on his chin, before announcing, “In fact, I’ve just thought of a great name for this guy! Can I call you Tsum-Tsum instead?”

Atsumu blinked, taken aback at the oddly cute nickname. In regular circumstances, he wouldn’t be caught dead being addressed as Tsum-Tsum, but he was well aware of Bokuto’s reported episodes where he would be upset for days on end if someone or something had upset him. Although they were few and far between now that he was an adult, Atsumu was willing to give up some of his dignity rather than risk anything happening.

“Uh, sure thing.”

“Okay then, Tsum-Tsum! Keiji, please show them in then whilst I get some more snacks.”

Five stone steps led up to thick stone columns with yet more decorative owl statues which finally led to the main building, which sported large arched windows and an imposing wooden door. As Atsumu drank in the architecture with delight, Osamu tapped Akaashi on the shoulder gently, revealing the present he had been hiding behind his back.

“I thought I might as well deliver that onigiri order early,” Osamu said, handing Akaashi the present.

“I- wow.” Akaashi stared at the carefully wrapped crimson box with wonder, tracing the silky ribbon with his fingertips. “You didn’t have to do this.”

“It’s no problem. You’re a regular customer, and it saves the cost of having someone else deliver it. Plus, I’m experimenting with some different recipes and-”

“Samu, are we goin’ in or what?”

Akaashi cleared his throat, tucking the present under his arm. “Alright, we’ll head in. Please remain quiet while we go through the main area, as this library is for public use.”




They walked quietly through the airy space, stopping every so often as Akaashi explained the history of the library and the different sections within it. Around the tall bookshelves, women in beige dresses dusted and arranged the endless collections of books, and at the tables, students clearly enveloped in the realm of academia sat quietly, the only indication of their existence being the sound of pages being turned and quills scratching at notebooks.

“Just this way into the restricted archives section, then we may talk at a higher volume,” Akaashi whispered, rolling a cart of books out of his path smoothly.

“Hey Akaashi, one question,” Atsumu said quietly. “What was that look on yer face before we walked in?”

“My apologies, Prince Atsumu. It’s just that I’ve never heard the accent that those in the Inarizaki kingdom speak with. And I understand that it’s royal etiquette to mask most quirks in the speech…”

Atsumu nodded silently, fiddling with the cuffs of his shirt.

“I’m speaking out of line. I apologise, Prince Atsumu.”

“No no, you’re correct in what ya say,” Atsumu murmured back. “I appreciate talkin’ to those who actually know how noble business works.” _Unlike a certain_ _annoyance,_ he added in his head.

The three of them remained silent until they reached the door of the restricted archive room. It was easy to miss, being tucked in a dusty corner of the library, and had a sign that simply read, “Closed for maintenance. Do not enter.”

Akaashi, trying to balance the present under his arm, fumbled for the key in his pocket.

“Let me hold that, please,” Osamu said, reaching for the present. “We’re grateful for the access to the archives.”

Akaashi nodded thankfully, inserting the key into the lock and turning it. It clicked heavily, unlocking the door to the unassuming room.

The restricted archives room was surprisingly extensive, the interior having been hollowed out from thicker stone than the rest of the building. Albums thick with pictures and newspaper clippings stood against each other on the built in shelves that jutted out from the walls. There were two small wooden tables with a few cushioned chairs in front of a little fireplace, and although the fire was already burning well, the place still carried a chill to it, a chill that Atsumu could not shake from his bones.

“Damn, look at this place! Wonder how many years of articles there are in here…”

“Two hundred years to date, actually,” Akaashi piped up, swiping some dust from an empty shelf.

“Hmm, ya really know yer stuff,” Atsumu mused, walking over to the table. “Samu, set that box down there. Wouldn’t wanna ruin any of the articles with stains.”

“So,” Akaashi began as Osamu set the present down on the table. “What are you looking for in here? If it’s the Inarizaki history, it’s the folder on the bottom shelf on your right and-”

“Uh actually,” Atsumu interrupted, “could we take a look at Karasuno’s history? Y’know, like the stuff from about eight years ago?”

All of a sudden, Akaashi froze, his face going pale as his fingers dug into his palms.

“Uh… yes… just give me a moment…”

“Hey Akaashi, what’s wrong?” Osamu asked, peering at him with a look of concern. “Is it forbidden to look into or somethin’?”

“No… it’s not that…” he muttered, trying to steady his breathing. “I’ve just realised what story you’ll need to hear…”

“What d’ya mean by story?”

Akaashi slapped his face with both hands and blinked rapidly a few times. “I’m sorry about that. Dealings with the Karasuno kingdom are a bit of a… personal matter… but you’re better off letting me explain rather than wading through a pile of useless information.”

As they sat down, Osamu unwrapped the present and took off the lid of the metal box,  revealing six onigiri balls. 

“Take your time,” he reassured Akaashi, handing him a ball.

Akaashi took a bite, smiling at the flavour. “Thank you, Prince Osamu. I needed this.”

Osamu and Atsumu took an onigiri piece each, chewing in silence for a minute before Akaashi finally spoke again.

“Alright. Here’s what happened…”

\--

_ “Alright Akaashi,” the man said, bringing Kageyama forwards with his arm. “This is Kageyama, the boy you’ll be training with.” _

_ Akaashi stuck his hand out, looking curiously at his fellow apprentice. “Nice to meet you, Kageyama.” _

_ “And you too, Akaashi.” _

_ “Kageyama, please can you play a piece you know? I’ve already heard what Akaashi is capable of.” _

_ The man pointed towards the upright piano in the room, and so Kageyama quietly sat down at the piano and began to play. _

_ Akaashi listened, stunned. All he knew about the boy was that his family had worked under the Hinata family for three generations, and that he would have likely only had minimal access to general education, let alone musical education. Yet, as his fingers glided across the keys, there was no doubt in Akaashi’s mind that Kageyama was not only talented, but that he’d been honing his skills for a while now. _




_ It had been months since training had started, and the skill gap between Akaashi and Kageyama had only grown. The moment Akaashi had finally been able to master a piece through careful practice, Kageyama had already flown through it with pinpoint accuracy and a rather arrogant attitude towards the whole apprenticeship ordeal. Akaashi had been confused as to why he was often the victim of Kageyama’s occasionally explosive outbursts, but soon grew used to dealing with them, drawing from his experience with Bokuto’s mood swings. _

_ “Fucking hell, why can’t I get this section right?” Kageyama growled, hands curled into fists and trembling at his sides. _

_ “Kageyama, please calm down,” Akaashi said, placing his hands on Kageyama’s shoulders. _

_ “I’m busy, Akaashi. Get the fuck away from me.” He yanked Akaashi’s hands away, before slamming his hands down onto the keys. _

_ “No Kageyama, we’re going back upstairs. You clearly need a break.” _

_ “You know what I need a break from?! You and your goddamn bullshit-” _

_ They froze, hearing the door to the little house creak open. _

_ “Let’s go,” Akaashi said firmly, dragging Kageyama with him as they rushed up towards their shared bedroom. “I don’t want you bruised again from shouting in the house.” _

_ The two of them sat on their beds in silence looking at each other. After a few minutes, Akaashi got up and walked over to Kageyama’s bed. _

_ “You’ve been getting frustrated a lot recently,” Akaashi finally said. “You want to talk about why that is?” _

_ “...” _

_ “Sure.” _




_ “You’re worried about Prince Shoyo?” _

_ Kageyama nodded, looking down at the floor. “He used to cry whenever I had to leave him to get groceries or whatever. Used to cling to me with this… weird look on his face. I can’t imagine how he’s feeling right now.” _

_ Akaashi smiled wryly. “I can understand that. Prince Kotarou was the same, but you’ve got to remember that they’ll have to learn to be without their friends.” _

_ “I know, but… I kept feeling that something was off about him when I had to leave.” _

_ “Have you considered the possibility that he likes you as more than a playmate?” _

_ Kageyama’s eyes widened. “There’s no way. Sure, he told me he likes guys a while ago, but he wouldn’t like someone like me.” _

_ “I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Akaashi replied, eyes narrowing. “The heart doesn’t care about such frivolous setbacks as class.” _

_ The door to their room slammed open. It was their teacher, carrying a belt in one hand, and a beer bottle in the other. _

_ “Alright you two, eat your dinner quickly and wash up, then we’ll get back to practicing.” _

_ They bolted out of the bedroom and rushed downstairs, hearing the man loudly add, “And don’t ask for extras. It’s enough of a burden having to feed two peasant kids because of this bullshit program the Bokuto family’s dreamt up. Equality, my ass. If your parents had worked harder, maybe I wouldn’t have to be doing all this for free.” _

\--

“What a dick!” Atsumu exclaimed. “Anyone who’s taken lessons in economics would know there’s a bunch of factors in gaining wealth other than work.”

“Well, within the bracket of those with wealth, there’s a significant amount of people who do still believe that peasants are peasants due to their laziness, Prince Atsumu” Akaashi murmured sadly. “As I’ve mentioned, the Bokuto family is at the heart of trying to improve things so that every child can have similar opportunities, but it’s difficult to get people to empathise when they just don’t know what it’s like.”

“So Akaashi, where does Prince Shoyo come into this?” Osamu asked, leaning forwards onto the table.

Akaashi grimaced. “I don’t really like getting to this bit of the story…”

“...because it’s my fault that everything happened.”

At that moment, the door to the archives room flew open.

"Keiji, I'm back with snacks!"

Akaashi sighed. "Prince Kotarou, please keep your voice down in here. The walls may be thick, but people will still be able to hear you."

To the Miya twins, he said, "I'm sorry, but I don't think we'll be able to carry on this conversation today. I can't talk about what happened in front of the prince."

"That's okay," Osamu said, putting a hand on Keiji's arm.

"I'll explain the rest in a letter. Because... well..."

"By the way, Keiji, I kinda heard you talking about the kid you trained with in that fun apprenticeship! Kageyama, was it? He must be doing well for himself by now..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gotta leave it on a cliffhanger for now, but here's a backstory-heavy chapter :)


	9. I Miss Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a turbulent dream, Hinata sends an invite for dinner, and Atsumu has a mini crisis

_ “Shoyo, what are you doing up here?” _

_ The grey clouds on that winter night hung thick like a blanket, blocking the afternoon sunlight as they pelted rain down onto the surroundings. While the wind howled, stirring up the trees into a mighty clash against each other, the sunshine prince stood at the top of the Sky Tree looking out, arms dangling out of the window. _

_ “Kenma.” _

_ Hinata smiled a smile that was becoming harder to pull, turning around towards the young lord. “The view is so nice from this tower, don’t you think?” _

_ “You’ll catch a cold if you stay out here for too long,” Kenma said uneasily. _

_ “Oh… the cold? I didn’t notice it.” _ __  
  


_ Hinata turned back towards the window, looking down at the ground below him. “What do you think it’s like to fall from a height such as this?” _

_ “This had better not be what I think it is, Shoyo-” _

_ “But I’m so curious,” he continued, starting to lean out further. “What would it be like, when I hit the ground? When my bones shatter, and my blood starts to pour out, and the life in me-” _

_ “Shoyo, stop it!” Kenma yelled, yanking him away from the window. “I know it’s hard right now, but this isn’t what he would’ve wanted!” _

_ The smile forced its way open a little wider, tears falling from Hinata’s eyes. _

_ “I know that.” _

_ As Hinata’s legs gave out, he fell to the hard floor, the only thing saving him from injury being Kenma’s arms wrapping around him. _

_ “I miss him, Kenma,” he sobbed, clinging onto him desperately. “I can’t get him out of my head.” _

_ “I know you do,” he replied softly, patting the prince’s back gently. “But you need to keep living. For his memory, for your sister, for your kingdom.” _

_ “What has the Karasuno kingdom done for me?” he questioned in despair. “I’ll have to marry someone I don’t love in this kingdom. I’ll have to carry on as normal by next week in this kingdom. I’ll have to pretend that I’ve never interacted with a so-called lowly peasant in this kingdom- the one that meant the most to me.” _

_ “You won’t be under your mother’s rule forever,” Kenma murmured, letting Hinata bury his head and soak his jacket with a salty torrent. “You’ll be able to be who you are thanks to your reputation. Not even your mother will be able to control you once you’re legally allowed to have a say in the affairs of your kingdom.” _

_ “But I… I just don’t know what the point is in being here anymore. I  _ **_loved_ ** _ him. He was the best thing in my life ever, and… and…” _

_ The words were caught up in Hinata’s throat in a suffocating lump. He couldn’t bear to admit it, but to not say them was to deny everything his eyes had seen that night. _

_ “He’s... dead,” he finally said, voice coming out as no more than a whisper. _

_ “He is,” Kenma whispered back, pulling him closer. “I’m sorry.” _

_ The wind continued to whip through the land, deafening the prince’s cries as they sat still for a little while longer on the cold stone floor. _

\--

Hinata awoke, drenched in sweat. He looked around his room, reassuring himself that he was in his room, and that he was safe. The curtains were undrawn, letting in sunlight that was beginning to grow cold with the natural progression from summer to autumn.

“Good morning, Prince Shoyo,”

Ennoshita stood at the door, carrying a hot bowl of food. “It’s eggs and rice today - your favourite.”

“Thanks,” Hinata said quietly, sitting up.

“Should I leave the room…?”

“No, it’s okay,” he replied, looking out towards the window. “It’s just getting closer to the day again.”

Ennoshita placed the tray on top of Hinata’s lap, which the prince smiled at halfheartedly.

Chewing thoughtfully on a small yolky mouthful, Hinata asked, “Sir Chikara, do you believe in soulmates?”

“Soulmates? You’d have to be a little more specific there.”

“Like… romantic ones…” He looked towards the dressing table, where an opened letter sat. “Like the ones you read in sappy poems.”

“Why do you ask, Prince Shoyo?”

“No-no reason,” Hinata stuttered, scratching at his head. “I was just curious to hear the views from the people who serve me.”

Ennoshita nodded. “Well, I’m not the spiritual type. Knights don’t really tend to be, what with well… the things we may encounter.”

“I see…”

“But I believe that when it comes to close relationships, love comes in more forms than just romantic. For example, some people are meant to be together as the best of friends, like Lord Kenma and yourself. But other people, like the Prince Tooru and Iwaizumi-”

Ennoshita stopped himself. “I shouldn’t have said that last part. How insolent of me to think-”

Hinata giggled, bringing his hands together on his lap. “Don’t apologise. I think anyone who’s spent more than a few minutes looking at the two of them together would come to the same conclusion.”

“That’s a bold statement-”

“Bold? Mister Tooru told me himself when he was drunk. He’s a big idiot. I know lots of big idiots these days, especially-”

He stopped himself, biting the inside of his cheek. “Actually, I don’t wish to think about  _ that  _ idiot.”

_ He’s in my head way too much,  _ he thought to himself.  _ I don’t like it. _

“I need to get some more paperwork done today,” he continued. “Haven’t been able to do anything recently, what with everything that’s happened.”

“Oh, please don’t worry. Princess Natsu has been asking to handle more of the work, so she’s taken care of some of the more trivial documents-”

“Natsu, huh? She’s a great sister. Super independant too.”

Hinata took a few more mouthfuls out of the egg and rice bowl before setting the tray down the floor. “Anyways, I think I understand what your answer meant. Thanks, Sir Chikara.”

“Of course, Prince Shoyo. Uh, one more thing regarding an invitation to dinner…”

“It’s my mother, isn’t it?” He sighed, stretching his arms. “Why does she want to see me after all the mean things she’s said?”

“The message says that she wishes to rekindle a relationship with her oldest child.”

“That’s a lie, as usual,” Hinata replied simply. “I wonder if I should decline the invitation this year-”

He paused, looking towards his dressing table once more. A grin began to spread across his face.

“Sir Ennoshita, tell my mother that I will be joining her to dinner…”

“...if I can invite Mister Atsumu along as well.”




Atsumu started upon a knock to his door, quickly hiding the envelope he was sealing at his desk behind an English textbook. 

“Tsumu, ya got mail,” Osamu called out, opening the door immediately as Atsumu got out of his chair.

“Samu, how many times have I told ya to wait after knockin’?” Atsumu groaned, rolling his eyes.

“What? Ya don’t even knock when ya enter  _ my  _ room!”

Osamu sighed, giving Atsumu the letter. “Nothing from Akaashi as of yet, but Prince Shoyo’s sent something again.”

“Oh, Shoyo, huh?”

_ When did I start feeling so nervous upon hearing his name? _

“Okay, ya can go now Samu-”

“Why’re ya kickin’ me out? I wanna know what it says.”

“Fine then,” he sighed, the wax seal breaking as he tore open the envelope.

_ To Prince Atsumu, _ the letter started off with, as they always did.

_ How was your visit to the Fukurodani kingdom? I read in the papers that you wanted to reestablish some links with their rulers. I haven’t spoken to Mister Kotarou in a while, but he seems to be doing well. I do want to speak to that assistant of his, but he’s always so busy! Like, one minute he’ll say he’s got nothing to do and POW- he’s suddenly swamped with work. _

_ Of course, it’s not as if I write to you for fun, so I’ll get to the point of this letter. _

“Hmph!” Atsumu pouted upon reading that line. “As if I read these fer fun.”

“Ya do though,” Samu piped up. “Ya seem to be rereadin’ things a lot these days-”

“Fuck off, I _don't_ ,  Samu!” he protested, casting his eyes back to the letter as a tint reached his cheeks. 

_ My mother has asked to see my current partner, and so I am inviting you to a dinner with her. The address and date will be written on the back of this letter. Please write back as soon as possible so that I know whether you will be attending.  _ **_And please don’t screw things up like you usually do._ **

_ Not yours sincerely, but technically yours sincerely for my mother, _

_ Shoyo _

_ P.S. I guess I should thank you for the snacks you sent. Oranges are one of my favourite fruits. _

Before he knew it, Atsumu’s eyes were twinkling at the last sentence. “Oranges are his favourite, huh…”

“No fuckin’ way Tsumu.”

Atsumu blinked, looking back to Osamu. “What? We had some spare in the kitchen, and I thought it’d match his hair.”

“Not that, ya idiot. You’re actually fallin’ fer someone.”

“I don’t  _ fall  _ fer people! And why the hell would I fall fer him, when he has nothing I'd like-”

Images of Hinata flashed through his mind as he tried to say what he always said. His relaxed drunken smile. His soft hair that was so bright, and even brighter in the sunlight. The way Atsumu would sometimes catch just a glimpse of genuine happiness from the prince, only to have it snatched away in a frustrating tug of war.

_ He was just curious about him. _

_ Shoyo was annoying but cute- no, not cute, interesting. _

_ It was just curiosity. _

_...wasn’t it? _

“Well, he’s not my usual type,” Atsumu finally decided, biting the inside of his cheek.

Osamu rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “Well, that’s one thing we can agree on. I’ll leave ya to decide when you’re actually going to admit yer stupid feelings.”

With that, Osamu left Atsumu’s room, closing the door firmly.

Folding the letter back up, Atsumu walked over to his dressing table and opened a drawer. Inside were an assortment of paper wrappers, quills that had long since been trimmed beyond use, and of course, a stack of letters. It was the one drawer his maids were not permitted to clean.

“I don’t like him,” he said to himself, placing the letter into the drawer.

_ What do I usually do,  _ he thought,  _ when I like someone? _

Furrowing his dark eyebrows, he looked over at a tin of sweets one of his fans had sent him. Atsumu had never been the type to let his eyes linger on anyone for too long, but the first thing he usually saw in people was their body - more specifically, the way they carried themselves.

His mind wandered back to the early morning of a couple weeks ago, when he had awoken to the light streaming in from the thin curtains. He remembered the groggy feeling in his head when he tried to adjust to his surroundings, nearly stumbling as he made his way over to the bedside table, where a tall glass of water sat. 

And Atsumu remembered nearly choking on said water when he looked over towards the sleeping prince and discovered his shirt under his suit had hitched up to reveal his toned stomach. He’d always remembered the freak duo vaguely as a tall figure and his tiny enthusiastic partner, but the Hinata in front of him now was surprisingly muscular, and not entirely out of place with the usual people Atsumu had woken up besides on those adrenaline-fueled Friday nights he’d enjoyed upon turning eighteen.

Atsumu looked down at himself, feeling the material in his pants tighten, then back up at the mirror in front of him, face flushed.

“Fuck,” he whispered to himself.

“...I should probably get on with some documents.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uh so, this story's probably going to last a little longer than ten chapters ;w;  
> felt kind of bad writing this chapter's flashback, but I promise there'll be a happy ending 
> 
> thank you for reading!


	10. Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Atsumu knew this evening meal was going to be difficult to get through. He'd just not anticipated quite how hard it was going to be.

A week later, and it was finally time to meet for dinner. Atsumu hadn’t brought up the topic of his feelings towards Hinata to Osamu again, but though he’d tried to work away the thoughts, not a day had passed without his mind drifting to Hinata and his stupidly cute looks. Now though, was not the time for those thoughts, as there were more pressing matters at hand.

_ “My mother nearly went through with disowning my brother when she found out he liked boys.” _

As Atsumu finished tightening his red bowtie, looking at himself in the mirror, Natsu’s words kept echoing in his mind. Even in his own kingdom, where the twins were well liked, he was all too aware of those of the older generation who bore ill will towards same-sex attraction. But surely Hinata wouldn’t have invited him to meet someone who could be actively hostile, especially given the fact that it’d hurt himself as well, would he?




“Well, I figured this was bound to happen,” Suna said quietly, as the carriage bumped gently along a less maintained road of the Karasuno kingdom.

“What d’ya mean, bound to happen?”

“Some of the kingdoms have harsher sentiments towards those who don’t uphold traditional roles. Of course, you’re aware of this due to that meeting with the Shiratorizawa kingdom-”

“Sir Rintarou, don’t remind me,” Atsumu glowered. “How dare Prince Wakatoshi say my morals were “misguided” when his close advisor clearly radiates the same goddamn energy as me!”

“So, with all that said,” Suna continued, “shouldn’t you have thought about Hinata’s true intentions before accepting this dinner invitation?”

“If it’s to prove to a stubborn in-law that likin’ guys isn’t as big a deal as they think it is, then ‘course I was gonna accept!” Atsumu crossed his arms, looking out at the rosy sunset. 

“What I’m saying, is that Prince Shoyo has shown himself to be well spoken.” Suna flipped up the hood of his coat as spots of rain began to fall from the sky. 

“There must be a reason why you were required to turn up.”

“Well, maybe I’m just too dashin’ to  _ not  _ invite,” Atsumu laughed, waving his hand away. “Anyways, is this the place?”

They had reached the edge of the old town near the castle, the buildings lit with the glow of paraffin lamps under reddish brown roofs. In front of them stood a building more lit up than the rest of them, its walls a smooth warm orange, and underneath the overhanging roof, a little sign saying  _ “Welcome to Torino’s”  _ was hung.

“Normally, you’d think this’d be a commoner’s tavern,” Atsumu remarked, as the door to the carriage was opened by Suna, “but looks are deceiving here.”

_...which seems to be a pattern in this kingdom,  _ he added in his head.

“Correct, Atsumu,” Suna replied. “Despite its architecture-”

As if it were on cue, the door to the tavern slammed open, revealing a man slightly shorter than Atsumu with long hair slicked back with a headband.

“I hope you two haven’t been saying anything rude about my restaurant!” the man called out, putting a hand on his hip.

Atsumu was about to protest about the man’s insolence, when Suna looked at him sharply, causing the prince to gulp in embarrassment.

“Absolutely not, Mr…?”

“Ukai,” he replied back. 

“Yes, we were just saying that we were well informed about this being one of the best restaurants in the kingdom.” Suna nodded at this statement firmly, looking pointedly at the prince who had resumed his usual stance.

“Glad to hear it. Now, do you have a reservation here?”

Atsumu smirked, pulling out the letter from his pocket. “I do indeed, Mr Ukai. Would you happen to know if Prince Shoyo has arrived yet?”

Ukai’s eyes grew wide, looking from the letter, then back to Atsumu. “So  _ you’re  _ the one who’s been courting him recently,” he muttered. “Should have figured from the look of that carriage.”

Ukai turned on his heel back towards the door, hands raised to his mouth. “Hey Kiyoko!” he yelled. “Please direct this customer to the room in the back!”

A slim dark haired woman emerged from the lit interior, adjusting her glasses. “Of course, Mr Ukai.” Turning to Atsumu, who was still standing in the rain, she said, “Please come with me, Prince Atsumu. Prince Shoyo and the Queen are already seated and waiting for you.”

“Make sure not to catch a cold again, Sir Rintarou,” Atsumu said as he stepped under the roof of the building.

“I will do my best… Atsumu,” he replied curtly after a pause, turning back towards the carriage.

Contrary to the exterior, the inside of Torino’s was furnished tastefully with clean tablecloths, sturdy chairs, and various potted plants. The walls were a cream colour, and the use of small chandeliers and candles helped set the ambiance of a more refined establishment.

“You must be cold, Prince Atsumu,” Kiyoko said, taking Atsumu’s slightly damp jacket from his shoulders. 

“It’s nothing to worry yourself over, but thank you. By the way, has anyone told you how beautiful you look?”

She smiled politely. “Thank you for the compliment, but I’m married. Ryu- I mean- Tanaka does not take too kindly to other men trying to talk to me like that.”

“O-oh, that wasn’t supposed to come across that way,” Atsumu replied hastily. “You could say I’m a taken man as well.”

_ Taken, huh? What did that term really mean to him? _

Approaching the back of the sizable restaurant, they stopped in front of a small wooden door with the sign “Reserved” pinned to the top of it.

“In here please. There will be some more guests coming into the restaurant this evening, but you won’t be interrupted by any noise.”

“Thank you, Mrs Kiyoko,” Atsumu said, smiling as the door was opened.

The room was intimately lit, with a large table in the middle with a delicate glass vase containing a bunch of flowers on top of it. To the left was an empty chair, presumably where Atsumu was going to be seated. And already seated at the table with a teapot and two tea cups were Hinata, dressed in his usual suit with silver cufflinks, and his mother. Unlike Hinata, her hair was a short light brown colour, and she wore a red dress with a thin figure that drooped to the floor. She stared hard at Atsumu as he cautiously made his way to the empty seat, hands held together in a tight clasp

“Good evening, your majesty,” Atsumu said calmly, looking towards Hinata. His face was softly lit in the candlelight, his big eyes looking back at Atsumu in bewilderment, as if he hadn’t quite expected the prince to have even turned up.

“And to you too, Prince Atsumu,” she replied politely.

The queen looked back towards Hinata, whispering something that Atsumu couldn’t quite hear. The smaller prince smiled uneasily and nodded, not taking his eyes off of Atsumu.

Noticing the ever growing tension in the air, Kiyoko cleared her throat and pulled out three small cards from a belt around her skirt. “Here is the menu for today. Prince Atsumu, would you like any refreshments?”

“Just a glass of champagne, please,” he said, pointing to the third one down on the back of the menu.

“Ah, that’s a good choice. That’ll be with you in just a moment.”

Kiyoko left swiftly, closing the door behind her.

“So, Prince Atsumu,” Hinata’s mother started, “I understand that you’re the one who’s been seeing my son for the past couple of months?”

“Yes ma- your majesty. It’s been a lovely time so far, hasn’t it Shoyo?”

Hinata blinked, before tilting his head and smiling. “Mmhmm, it has! Mister Atsumu’s been so nice and caring, and we’ve got so very close.”

A tinge of pink appeared on Atsumu’s cheeks. It may have been the lighting, but Hinata’s smile seemed to be a little more real, and so he averted his eyes back to the menu.

“Very interesting,” she remarked, eyes flitting back to Hinata. “I wasn’t aware there were other  _ nobles _ in the land that practiced the same kind of lifestyle as my son.”

Atsumu tried to suppress the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach that came with starting to realise the gravity of the situation. “I’m not sure what you mean, your majesty. Actually, my daily routine is a little different from Hinata’s, and-”

“I’m talking about your engagement in homosexual activity,” she said pointedly.

Hinata scratched at his hand, looking towards Atsumu guiltily. Atsumu took a deep breath, then smiled, looking straight at Hinata’s mother. “Ah, I see. Well, you are, of course, correct in that I am romantically involved with your son, but I’m actually what you would call a bisexual.”

“Please explain to me what that is.”

“Uh, it means that he likes women as well,” Hinata spoke up quietly.

“I don’t remember asking  _ you  _ to contribute to this conversation.” She looked sharply at Shoyo, causing him to look towards the paintings on the wall.

Just then, the door opened again as Kiyoko returned, carrying a large bottle and a tall glass.

“Your champagne, Prince Atsumu.”   


He snapped to attention immediately upon hearing her voice, as did Hinata, feigning a smile once again. “Thank you, Mrs Kiyoko. Your majesty, are we all ready to order?”

“But of course, Prince Atsumu.” She flashed an icy smile, looking towards Kiyoko. “How about we all order the second set of dishes - the French cuisine?”

“That sounds super good!” Hinata replied, clasping his hands together.

“Of course,” Kiyoko said, nodding quickly. “I’ll just take these then.”

She cast a worried eye at Atsumu through lowered lids, before quietly exiting the room.

“Now, your majesty, as dear Shoyo was just saying-”

“I heard what he had to say, thank you Prince Atsumu,” she interrupted. “So why aren’t you with a woman then? It would be far more sensible and-”

“Mother, please, let’s leave this conversation for now,” Hinata pleaded. “Can we talk about your business trip?”

She sighed, before saying, “If you insist, Shoyo. I suppose too much discussion over such perversions would spoil my palette.”

Atsumu wanted to retort again, but Hinata gave him a warning look from across the table, signalling to the prince that now was  _ definitely  _ not the time




The conversation soon shifted to more cordial topics regarding a trip into the Shiratorizawa kingdom, a place that the Hinata family were quite familiar with, though Atsumu didn’t miss the wary side glances from both of them every so often.

“Their laws? Yeah, Mister Ushi- sorry,  _ Prince Wakatoshi,  _ makes sure to remind me each time that a good kingdom requires a good foundation in order to flourish!”

Hinata took a small sip out of his teacup, gazing across at Atsumu. He carried himself tall as always, Adam’s apple bobbing as he downed the remaining champagne in the glass with a grin. Hinata hadn’t noticed it particularly until that night, but Atsumu’s jawline was surprisingly sharp, and despite a chill in the air, he felt his body go warm as he continued to look at the shadows that fell upon it in the candlelight.

_ He really isn’t that bad looking with his mouth shut… _

He set down the teacup hastily, flinching as the china clattered against the saucer.  _ How could he even think about the idiot like that, especially when... _

“So, Prince Atsumu,” Hinata’s mother swiftly continued, “how are matters handled in the Inarizaki kingdom?”

“Haha, well, the current rulers are mostly the ones to enforce the laws. Sa- I mean Prince Osamu handles more of the financial work, and I’m in charge of public relations.”

“It must be less tiring with two to handle the work,” she pondered, lifting a hand up to her chin. “Karasuno matters are a tricky business, are they not Shoyo?”

Hinata didn’t respond, staring into space dreamily.

“Shoyo, are you listening?”

He shook his head in surprise, looking down. “I’m sorry mother, could you repeat what you were saying?”

She glared. “This is most unbecoming of you. Being an adult does not excuse poor etiquette, and-”

A knock sounded at the door, and Kiyoko’s soft voice asking permission to enter could be faintly heard.

“You can come in,” Hinata’s mother called out, pulling out a small handkerchief and dabbing at her mouth. In a lower voice, she added, “We shall discuss this later, Shoyo.”

\--

_ “This is ridiculous, Shoyo. You’re going out there tomorrow, and you’re going to show your people that you’re doing perfectly fine.” _

_ The tears started to pour from Hinata’s eyes again as he stood in the doorway of the drawing room. “I’m… I’m not doing fine though,” he stammered, looking down at the floor. “I still miss him and… and…” _

_ “He was just one of the servants here!” she exclaimed, exasperated. “We can always arrange for you to have some new friends, ones that would actually be worth your time-” _

_ “No, you don’t understand! It won’t be the same!” _

_ “Why on earth would it not be?” _

_ “Mother, I loved him-” _

_ “Love?” She scoffed, looking him up and down. “You couldn’t possibly mean that you think you’re one of those homosexuals, do you?” _

_ “Actually, I think I am,” he muttered, wiping at his eyes. “I can’t even imagine looking at a woman like I looked at Kageyama.” _

_ “You’re just confused. No noble should be toying with such irresponsible lifestyle choices, especially not with such peasants.” _

_ “What the hell was so different between me and him?! He didn’t choose his life!” _

_ “Shoyo, enough.” There was an edge to her voice as she stared down at him. “You’ll be out there tomorrow, and that’s final. Or do you wish to be cut from this family entirely?” _

_ Hinata paused, before contorting his face into a smile.  _

_ “You’re right mother. I’ll be out there tomorrow.” _

_ She nodded, crossing her arms. “A wise decision from you for once, Shoyo. Now, please return to your room to rehearse your words. We have guests visiting shortly.” _

_ Turning down the long corridor, Hinata stumbled back as a small figure bumped forward against his chest, carrying a cracked china doll. _

_ “Natsu?” _

_ She looked up at him with her big eyes. “Big brother, are you okay? Mother was shouting a lot.” _

_ He patted her on the head gently. “There’s just a lot of grownup business she’s stressed about. It’s nothing for you to worry about.” _

_ Natsu nodded slowly. “I wanted to play dolls with you, but I accidentally broke one. What should I do?” _

_ "Sir Akiteru can probably do it. He won’t tell anyone either. But I’ve… I’ve really got to go to my room now, okay?” _

_ “Okay, big brother…” _

_ Hinata waited until his sister had disappeared around the corner before continuing his walk back to his room, the ache in his heart throbbing with each step _

_ \-- _

“And your kingdom actually permits such marriages?” 

Hinata peered up from his half eaten food, becoming more aware of the conversation he had been left out of.

“That’s correct,” Atsumu replied, cutting a square of ham. “It was a controversial decision, but we believed it was a justified one, considering the decisions of the Fukurodani kingdom.”

“Was it really necessary to interfere with the law though?”

“Now look, with all due respect, your majesty,” Atsumu said a little louder, “I just think that relationships should be treated equally, assuming they are healthy.”

“How is this healthy? My son has been starting to tread the right path after  _ years  _ of this unnatural behavior, and here you are trying to undo all of this-”

“Shoyo’s unnatural, huh? Yer own son’s unnatural?”

Atsumu trembled with anger, setting down his fork.

“Hey, Mister Atsumu,” Hinata started nervously, “mother didn’t mean it like-”

“No,  _ you  _ listen to me, Shoyo,” Atsumu said with conviction. “ _ You _ may be able to sit here and take what she has to say, but  _ I’m _ just gonna ask one thing.” 

“I’ll answer your question, Prince Atsumu,” she said cooly, taking a sip of tea. “Just know that there will be consequences for this most insolent outburst.”

“Y’know what? I don’t think I give a shit about that anymore.” He chuckled quietly, squeezing his hands into fists. “D’ya really think this is a choice? D’ya really think he chooses to live his life knowin’ people like ya will spend their whole lives judgin’ people like us for existin’?”

Hinata’s mother began to speak, but Atsumu shook his head. “No, I think I already know yer answer.”

He stood up from the table and stormed over to the door, dragging Hinata’s arm with him. 

“Let’s be headin’ out, Shoyo,” he muttered. “There’s a fair few things I can’t stand, and people who can’t justify their bullshit are definitely one of ‘em.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hhhh I have to keep editing the tags because I want to make sure they properly apply to the chapters that I've ended up writing, so sorry about that ;w;
> 
> bit of a longer chapter today but I felt like it was necessary for the dialogue! thanks for reading!


	11. All My Fault

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Affairs within the Inarizaki kingdom only get more complicated the more Atsumu gets involved in Hinata's life

Kiyoko jumped, nearly dropping the stack of dishes she was carrying as Atsumu rushed out of the room with Hinata clinging on behind him.

“Prince Atsumu, i-is there anything I can help you with?” Kiyoko stuttered as she took in Atsumu’s dark expression.

“My apologies, but we’ll be leaving early,” he replied quickly, eyes darting between the seated guests. “Tell  _ her majesty  _ that the costs will be on me for tonight.”

She nodded quickly, rushing in the direction of the kitchen.

“Mister Atsumu, you’re the biggest fucking idiot I’ve ever come across,” Hinata hissed as the cold night air hit their faces. “You could be charged with treason for that stunt you just pulled!”

Atsumu whistled as the heavy door shut behind them. “Well, we can worry about that in the mornin’.”

“Not to  _ mention  _ the guests we’ve disturbed, including Mister Tooru and Iwaizumi-”

“Please, they’ve probably been too absorbed in flirtin’ to even notice us. Anyways, what’s our next move, shrimp?”

“I’m not even short anymore!” Hinata cried indignantly. “And you tell me. You’re the one who decided to leave this restaurant while the rain’s pouring down.”

Water pounded down onto the steps in front of them as the previously light rain had turned into a raging thunderstorm that covered the entire sky in a blanket of grey.

“Well… shit.” Atsumu scratched at his head. “It  _ is  _ cold tonight.”

Hinata squinted, looking at Atsumu, before he realised what was off. “Mister Atsumu, you don’t appear to have your-”

“Looking for this, Prince Atsumu?”

The door opened, a little more quietly this time, as Ukai stepped outside with a cigarette in one hand and a jacket in the other.

“Ah, thank you Mr Ukai.”

“Look,” Ukai said in a more hushed tone, “I’m not sure who could be watching you two around here, but I can point you in the direction of the stables, if it can assist you.”

“I already know the way,” Hinata breathed, “but thank you anyway. I think my horse Little Crow is still being kept around here.”

“Alright. Be careful, you two.”




Ten minutes of running later, they finally reached the stables, which were a small rickety wooden construction located just before the long road connecting them back to the Inarizaki kingdom.

“Huh… wouldn’t have thought a man of such  _ high class  _ such as yerself would even know of a place like this,” Atsumu panted in between breaths.

“I visited this town in my childhood…” he replied, walking over to a tall black mare. “It used to be nicer back then.”

The mare whinnied quietly, tilting its head into Hinata’s palm. “I’m glad you recognise me still, Little Crow.”

“This rain doesn’t look like it’s letting up,” Atsumu remarked. “Is there anywhere we can stay?”

As thunder rumbled from afar, Hinata didn’t respond, turning away from the stables and towards the barn opposite them.

“Hey, Shoyo…?”

Hinata reached the door of the barn and tried to unlock it, to no avail. He tried again, and then again once more, slamming his fists on the door before sinking onto the damp grass, head falling forward to his knees.

“Get away, Mister Atsumu…”

Atsumu hurried over to where Hinata was sitting, kneeling down. “What’re ya sayin’? Ya don’t seem ta be doin’ okay.”

“I said get away. Why do you even care if I’m okay?”

He sighed, brushing his golden locks out of his eyes. “Not a big fan of thunderstorms, huh?”

Hinata made a small noise in response as the turbulent sky was lit up with a flash of lightning. Tears pricked at his eyes. He felt so alone, as if there was nothing he could do, as if he was back in the Sky Tree, as if-

He felt something drape over his shoulders, shielding them from the rain that had mercilessly pelted him.

_ Warm… _

“Yer gonna be fine, Shoyo,” Atsumu whispered, wrapping his jacket over the both of them. “Just a bit of rain.”

“Too… close…” he murmured, feeling his heart flutter as the scent of sandalwood filled his head.

Before he knew it, Atsumu was stroking Hinata’s hair gently, letting the strands fall between his fingers as he looked up at the sky and let the water drench his face.

_ Why am I doing all of this…?  _

Hinata’s breathing finally began to steady, the grip on Atsumu’s jacket relaxing as he drifted into sleep. Atsumu twirled a strand of orange hair in his finger, smiling as Hinata snuggled closer into his arms.

_ Well, maybe this is a good enough reason...  _




Atsumu didn’t know how long he had been sitting there in the rain before he’d let his eyelids fall shut, but when he opened them again, it was to the sight of a rather dishevelled Suna.

“You’re going to be the death of me, Prince Atsumu.”

He blinked, looking back towards Hinata who was still sleeping under his jacket, then towards the now clear sky. The rain had finally stopped, leaving the stars free to twinkle above them. “How’d ya find us?”

“A Mr Ukai directed me to this location, saying that it was likely you had not set off yet due to the weather. It appears that he was right.”

Atsumu dusted himself down, steadying himself on the wall of the barn as he got up. “Have ya got the carriage ready?”

“It’s just over there,” Suna replied, pointing towards the stables. Looking over to Hinata, who was looking around drowsily, he asked, “Prince Shoyo, would you like to be escorted back to your castle?”

“Anywhere but the castle right now…” he mumbled, shivering. “Can’t face her yet…”

“Alright then, Shoyo. Guess you’re comin’ back to the Inarizaki kingdom with us for now. Any obligations, Sir Rintarou?”

“Of course not, Prince Atsumu. But there had better be some explanation as to why I’ve found two nobles sleeping against the side of a barn like vagrants.”




While Hinata began to drift off again peacefully in the carriage, Atsumu explained the situation to Suna, who had to repeatedly tell him to speak quieter as the story developed.

“And  _ then,  _ she had the audacity to speak of Shoyo as some sorta misguided soul who needed curin’ from “the wrong path” or some sorta bull-”

“Prince Atsumu, it’s nearly 11, according to my pocket watch. Please be mindful of those who will be sleeping at this hour.”

Atsumu sighed, fiddling with a strand of Hinata’s hair. “Yeah yeah, I know. But he’s not misguided fer likin’ guys. No one’s a bad person fer who they love, even if they’re annoyin’, or too loud, or...”

Making a small noise in his sleep, Hinata turned from the door towards Atsumu, head lolling onto his arm.

_...too damn cute… _

“Anyways,” Atsumu continued hastily, “how bad d’ya believe the damages are gonna be fer what happened?”

“Ask your brother when he gets back. You two both took plenty of classes for situations like this, right?”

“Well- yeah. But I was expectin’ issues like this with some rotten buisnessmen, not the ruler of another kingdom!”

Suna exhaled quietly, snapping the reins in his hands. “Buisnessmen, queen of the Karasuno kingdom herself, what’s the difference? Just use your connections wisely, and you’ll probably make it out alive.”

“That may be true. Still, if there’s one thing I remember from those classes…”

“...it’s that wealth is not the solution to everything in this world.”

He looked out of the window, watching the view of the Inarizaki castle grow closer. “Shoyo, time to wake up, or yer gonna have no clue where yer at.”   


Hinata blinked a few times, then recoiled away to the other side of the carriage. “I’m awake, piss hair,” he protested, crossing his arms. “I know where we are.”

“C’mon, ya were doin’ just fine in my arms, weren’tcha?”

He blushed, turning his back further. “What do you mean? Why would you want me there, anyway?”

_ Because I don’t think I hate you anymore, you stupid tangerine,  _ he wanted to yell at him.

“Damn, can’t a guy get some extra warmth?” Atsumu lamented, flicking his fringe away from his eyes. “It’s a cold night tonight.”

“I-I know that! But why are you complaining? You’re the one with that jacket, and I’m-  _ achoo! _ ”

With a violent shiver, Hinata sneezed into the sleeve of his still-damp suit.

“Fwahh… this isn’t good…”

“Don’t worry, we’ll getcha some dry clothes soon. In fact, I think I can see Samu just up ahead.”

Osamu ran to the carriage, knocking on the window. “Tsumu! You’re late. Ya didn’t get into a fight, did ya?”

“Nothin’ like that, but we  _ do  _ have an unexpected guest with us tonight.” He leaned away, allowing Osamu to peer in and see Hinata who had curled himself into a corner.

“Prince Shoyo? What’s he doin’ here?”

Atsumu scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “Let’s just say that Her Majesty of Karasuno thought that it’d be all fine to insult a guy fer likin’ guys in front of me, Prince Atsumu Miya. Y’know, Inarizaki’s resident bi-”

Osamu stopped him, shaking his head. “So what you’re tryna say is that ya  _ completely  _ ignored what he was asking ya to do in the letter.”

Hinata smiled earnestly to Osamu, giving a thumbs up before going into another sneezing fit.

“Alright then,” Osamu sighed, “let’s get you two inside.”




Two heated baths and a change of clothes later, Hinata and Atsumu stood opposite each other at the top of the stairway.

“My clothes are a little big on you, aren’t they?”

“C’mon, why wouldn’t they be?! I never passed the six foot threshold!”

Atsumu gazed up and down at Hinata’s frame dressed in his old nightclothes, trying to conceal the way his eyes lingered at Hinata’s legs.

“Mister Atsumu, why are you looking at me like that? It’s rude.”

Evidently, his attempts were failing.

“Uh, I mean, I think being short suits you,” Atsumu said, smirking. “Imagine being tall  _ and  _ annoying.”

“That’s basically you, then.”

Atsumu jumped, turning around to see Osamu behind him. “Samu! Don’t sneak up behind me like that!”

“Your face was worth it, Tsumu,” Osamu laughed. “Prince Shoyo, yer guest room is down the corridor and marked with a note. Can ya make it yerself?”

“I think I can. How far is it from Mister Atsumu’s room?”

“Far enough that ya won’t be able to hear him snore.”

“Samu, I do  _ not  _ snore!”

“Thank you very much, Prince Osamu!” Hinata smiled, eyes flitting to Atsumu for just a second before he headed down the corridor.

Osamu’s expression dropped upon Hinata leaving, producing a letter from his pocket. “Tsumu, I know we’ve got a lot we need to sort out with the new mess you’ve got yerself into, but you’re gonna wanna read this. It’s from Akaashi, but for some reason I can’t make a lotta sense of it.”

“The letter?” Atsumu took the envelope from Osamu, squinting at it in the dim candlelight. “It’s supposed to be a continuation of whatever he was talkin’ about at the library. What’s so strange about it?”

“You’ll… see. Maybe wait until the mornin’ to read it though.”

“Alright then, Samu,” Atsumu said apprehensively. “Have a good night then.”

Treading to his room, Atsumu couldn’t help but unseal the letter, figuring it wouldn’t hurt to take a peek. The letter started out in neat, well-kept cursive lettering, addressing the twins and asking about their wellbeing. However, the letters seemed to become more jagged and uneven with each passing line, with words being misspelled more and more frequently beyond recognition and ink spatterings showing up more frequently. The final lines were the only ones that seemed to make any sense, simply saying:

_ I can’t take this anymore. It’s all my fault he is the way he is. _

_ I’m sorry, Kageyama. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahh, what do you think Akaashi's letter is referring to here? i really hope you have fun trying to guess before more info gets revealed :))
> 
> thank you for reading!


End file.
